Lugnuts halt skid, down Hawks, 5-2

LANSING, Mich. – Ryan Goins capped off a four-run fourth inning with his first home run since Opening Day, and the Lansing Lugnuts (15-12) ended a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the South Bend Silver Hawks (13-14) on a Wednesday Grand Slam School Day at Cooley Law School Stadium.
With Lansing trailing 1-0 entering the frame, the Silver Hawks committed errors on three successive plays -- a fielding error by first baseman Matt Helm, a wild pickoff by starter Charles Brewer, and then another throwing error by Brewer on a Brad McElroy grounder -- to allow the Lugnuts tie the game. A sacrifice fly from Jack Murphy pushed the Nuts on top, and Goins followed with a drive onto the lawn area in right-center for a 4-1 lead.
The Lugnuts shortstop finished the game with two hits in three at-bats, his third straight-multi-hit game.
Victimized by the four unearned runs, Brewer (2-3) shouldered the loss for South Bend.
Nestor Molina (2-1) pitched three scoreless innings to earn the victory in relief of Lansing spot-starter Aaron Loup. Loup had fired the first three innings, giving up a run on four hits while striking out five.
Casey Beck blanked the Silver Hawks in the seventh and eighth innings before Steve Turnbull allowed a run on a wild pitch in the ninth.
Having split the first two games of the series, Lansing and South Bend play the rubber match on a special '80s Night Labatt Blue Light Thirsty Thursday at 7:05 p.m. at Cooley Law School Stadium. After the game, there will be a live concert featuring Starfarm.
The starting pitching matchup will see Lugnuts left-hander Evan Crawford (0-1, 4.00) oppose Silver Hawks right-hander Eric Smith (3-1, 1.86).