Lugnuts Thump Chiefs, 14-1

LANSING– The Lansing Lugnuts picked up Monday night where they left off the previous day by crushing the Peoria Chiefs 14-1 before 2,997 fans at Oldsmobile Park. The Lugnuts were able to take the series win with the victory by taking final three games of the set.

The Lugnuts broke a scoreless tie in the third with a five run, two-out rally. Scott Campbell's second solo homer in as many days put Lansing ahead 1-0. Chris Emanuele and Travis Snider then followed that with consecutive singles to bring up Jonathan Jaspe, who roped a double off of the left-center field wall to plate both runners and make it a 3-0 game. Paul Franko then blasted his second homer of the year to left field to extend the lead to 5-0.

Lansing continued to play longball in the next frame when Raul Barron led the fourth off with a solo shot to left to put the Lugnuts ahead 6-0.

The run support was more than enough for Lansing starting pitcher Ray Gonzalez (6-5), who allowed just one run on three hits over seven innings. He retired the first 12 batters of the game before giving up a single in the fifth.

The Lugnuts added six more in the fifth inning by sending 10 batters to the plate. Lansing loaded the bases with one out when Peoria hurler Chris Siegfried proceeded to walk two runs home and hit another batter to make it a 9-0 game. Campbell then lifted a sacrifice fly to left and Emanuele capped the scoring in the frame with an RBI single that made it 12-0.

Franko led the charge with four hits in the game, while Emanuele, Snider, Shoffit and Raul Barron each had two.

Lansing (61-51, 26-17) will now hit the road to begin an eight-game swing away from home, beginning with four against the Kane County Cougars. Julio Pinto (1-4, 5.53) will make the start for the Lugnuts, while Henry Rodriguez (5-6, 3.13) will take the mound for the Cougars. First pitch is set for 7:30 p.m. at Elfstrom Stadium.