Five Lugnuts Named MWL All-Stars

Here are your 2010 Midwest League All-Stars (with probably more to come, once promotions and injuries affect the roster -- expect Steve Turnbull to be added to the team, for instance):

• Mark Sobolewski will start at third.
• A.J. Jimenez will start behind the plate.
• Ryan Schimpf will be the reserve second baseman.
• Chad Jenkins and Aaron Loup will be in the bullpen.

Tepera tames Dragons for Nuts’ 8th straight win

DAYTON, Ohio – Brad McElroy homered and Ryan Tepera pitched into the ninth inning as the Lansing Lugnuts (25-14) won their eighth straight game, 3-2 over the Dayton Dragons (18-22) on Thursday night at Fifth Third Field.
After the Lugnuts took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, Tepera (4-1) allowed RBI triples in the second and third innings to tie the score before clamping down on the Dragons lineup. The Texan right-hander set down 15 batters in a row between the fourth and ninth innings, exiting after Henry Rodriguez's one-out single in the ninth.
Steve Turnbull relieved Tepera and recorded the game's final outs for his tenth save in as many chances.
McElroy's home run provided the difference, a line shot to right field against Dayton starter Justin Walker (1-5) with one out in the fourth inning.
Lansing shortstop Ryan Goins extended his hitting streak to 10 games and his on-base streak to 16 games with a bunt single in the first inning.
The Lugnuts next return home for an eight-game, seven-day homestand at Cooley Law School Stadium. First, the Great Lakes Loons come to town for a four-game set, with the opener scheduled for Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Nuts right-hander Ryan Shopshire (2-2, 5.98) will oppose Loons right-hander Will Savage (2-1, 2.53) in the starting matchup.

Lugnuts outlast Hot Rods in 13, 5-4

BOWLING GREEN, Kent. – Balbino Fuenmayor's sacrifice fly scored pinch-runner Oliver Dominguez in the 13th inning as the Lansing Lugnuts (20-14) defeated the host Bowling Green Hot Rods (11-23) in a four-hour marathon on Thursday night at Bowling Green Ballpark.
Mark Sobolewski led off the 13th against reliever Matt Stabelfeld (1-1) with a double off the left field wall was replaced on the basepaths by the faster Dominguez. Brad McElroy's ground out to second moved Dominguez to third base. Fuenmayor followed with a drive to right, with Dominguez sliding home safely ahead of a strong throw from Hot Rods right fielder Dustin Biell.
The rally made a victor of Nestor Molina (3-1), who held the Hot Rods off the scoreboard from the 10th through the 12th innings.
It didn't come easily, even at the end; Lansing closer Steve Turnbull allowed a two-out single and walk in the bottom of the 13th before striking out Ty Morrison to end the game and lock up his seventh save.
Tyler Bortnick slugged a two-run homer in the losing effort for the Hot Rods, who trailed 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth before Mayo Acosta tied the game with a two-run single off of Dustin Antolin.
Shortly before Acosta's base hit, Bowling Green manager Brady Williams had been ejected by home plate umpire Brett Houseman.
Touted Lansing starter Chad Jenkins struck out three and walked none while working six innings of two-run baseball in a no-decision.
On Friday night at 8:05 p.m. ET, Lansing and Bowling Green play the second game of their four-game series. Right-hander Ryan Tepera (2-1, 4.31) will start for the Lugnuts against Hot Rods right-hander Wilking Rodriguez (1-2, 3.71).
The Lugnuts return home on May 21st to open a seven-game homestand. Tickets to all Lugnuts home games are available for purchase online at www.lansinglugnuts.com, at the stadium box office, and by calling 517-485-4500.

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Lansing Lugnuts Baseball
Cooley Law School Stadium
505 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, MI 48912
Phone: 517.485.4500; Fax: 517.485.4518
info@lansinglugnuts.com

Lugnuts reach 1,000 wins on Hopkins walk-off

LANSING, Mich. – The Lansing Lugnuts (14-9) received a walk-off single from Chris Hopkins in the bottom of the ninth to defeat the Fort Wayne TinCaps (11-11), 3-2, and capture their 1,000th all-time victory before a Saturday night crowd of 8,212 at Cooley Law School Stadium.
The Lugnuts' first victory came on April 6, 1996, an 18-3 rout of the now-defunct Rockford Cubbies. 5,138 days later, the franchise, now with three All-Star Games and two Midwest League Championships under its belt, reached the 1,000 win mark in dramatic fashion.
After losing a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning on Everett Williams' two-out RBI single, the Lugnuts rallied in the ninth against Fort Wayne reliever Hayden Beard (1-1).
Balbino Fuenmayor lined a one-out single and was replaced by pinch-runner Oliver Dominguez, who swiftly stole second base. Ryan Goins drew a four-pitch walk to bring up Hopkins, activated from the Disabled List hours earlier in the day. The Oakland native sliced a 2-2 pitch from Beard down the right field line, sending Dominguez racing for home and touching off a jubilant celebration on the field.
Steve Turnbull (1-2) earned the victory in relief for Lansing, striking out all four hitters he faced. In all, Lugnuts pitchers struck out 14 Fort Wayne batters, including six strikeouts in three innings of relief work by left-hander Matt Wright.
Having split the first two games in their four-game series, the Lugnuts and TinCaps play the third game in their set on Sunday at 2:05 p.m., a Kids Day at Cooley Law School Stadium. Lansing right-hander Chad Jenkins (1-1, 3.75) is scheduled to oppose Fort Wayne southpaw Mike Watt (1-1, 3.66).

Lugnuts edge Whitecaps, 2-1

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. – Ryan Tepera combined with three relievers to make Sean Ochinko's two-run double in the third inning stand up, leading the Lansing Lugnuts (13-7) to a 2-1 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps (6-14) on Wednesday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.
It was the Lugnuts' sixth straight victory and tenth in their last eleven games.
West Michigan starter Ramon Lebron (2-1) walked five Lansing batters in 2 2/3 innings, stranding runners at second and third in the first two frames before departing with two men on and two outs in the third. Ochinko greeted reliever Cory Hamilton with a laser into left-center, plating both Brad Glenn and Brad McElroy for a 2-0 lead.
As it turned out, those runs were all the Lugnuts would score in the game -- and they were all that Lansing would need.
Tepera (2-0) pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing an unearned run on four hits and two walks to earn the victory.
Dustin Antolin, Brian Slover, and Steve Turnbull took it the rest of the way, with Hernan Perez's seventh inning single off of Antolin providing the sole baserunner against the Lugnuts' bullpen. Turnbull wrapped up a perfect ninth for his fifth save in as many opportunities.
The Lugnuts send right-hander Ryan Shopshire to the mound on Thursday night in search of the road sweep, opposed by West Michigan right-hander Trevor Feeney.

And as for the Lugs...

These are my boys.

The Good:
1. Right fielder Brad Glenn
2. Leadoff man/center fielder Kenny Wilson
3. Third baseman Mark Sobolewski
4. The back end of the bullpen, featuring Steve Turnbull, Brian Slover, Aaron Loup, and Dustin Antolin

Impressive, all.

The Bad:
1. First baseman Balbino Fuenmayor
2. Catcher Sean Ochinko
3. Shortstop Ryan Goins
4. Second baseman Ryan Schimpf

Slumping, all.

The Awesome
1. Manager Sal Fasano
2. Sal Fasano's Fu Manchu