Myles Naylor delivered the biggest swing of the day for Lansing, and it came right when the Lugnuts needed it most. With two outs in the sixth inning on Sunday, Naylor crushed a grand slam to pull Lansing even, then came through again in the 10th by driving in the winning run on a fielder’s choice as the Lugnuts snapped a franchise-record 11-game losing streak with a walk-off win over the Great Lakes Loons, 8-7.
Naylor finished with a walk, a run scored and the two key RBI plays that flipped the game. Gunner Gouldsmith also left the yard for Lansing, launching a three-run homer, while Nate Nankil added a double, a walk and a run scored. On the mound, Nathan Dettmer gave up four runs over 4 2/3 innings, and Blaze Pontes handled two scoreless relief innings to earn the win.
In the Pacific Coast League, Sacramento fell to Las Vegas, 6-2, despite a solid night from several A’s affiliates. Darell Hernaiz went 2-for-3 with two walks, a stolen base and a run, Drew Swift doubled twice and scored twice, and Michael Stefanic finished 3-for-5 with an RBI.
Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang worked three innings and allowed two hits and no earned runs, while CD Pelham picked up the win after two scoreless frames. James Gonzalez also threw two shutout innings.
Midland kept rolling in the Texas League, knocking off Wichita, 10-5. Cole Conn had a strong all-around game, going 3-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base, two RBI and a run scored.
Davis Diaz matched that level of production at the plate, finishing 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and a run. Colby Halter, Brennan Milone and Clark Elliott each homered for Midland.
Henry Baez allowed three earned runs in four innings, JJ Goss tossed a scoreless inning, and Ryan Magdic earned the win with three innings of one-run ball.
In the California League, Rancho Cucamonga hammered Stockton, 17-4. Michael Brooks was 3-for-5 with a double, a stolen base and two runs scored, Daniel Bucciero doubled, drew two walks and drove in a run, and Breyson Guedez went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run. Josiah Romeo took the loss after allowing eight earned runs in 3.2 innings, with Josnier Parra and Alejandro Manzano also appearing in relief.
Monday’s schedule includes ACL D-backs at ACL A’s at 6:00 p.m. PT.
In Other News...
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Zack Gelof and Luis Severino are already part of the injury backdrop, and the uncertainty around Jacob Wilson and Tyler Soderstrom only adds to the pressure on a club that still believes it has a path back into the race. With the trade deadline approaching, the As have to decide whether to lean on what they have or push for outside help, especially if they want to turn this rough stretch into something more sustainable. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Just Got Deeper Right Before Facing The As
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Oakland will have its own rookie on the mound in Gage Jump, while Eric Lauer gets the start for Los Angeles after working his way into the rotation plans. For the As, the challenge is obvious: slow down a deeper Dodgers attack and keep a tight game early, even with a fresh arm across from them in the opener. [Read more 🡒]
As Suddenly Face A Youth Movement Test Nobody Wanted
The latest shuffle around the infield and bullpen says plenty about how quickly the Athletics depth chart can change. Joshua Kuroda-Grauer was selected from Triple-A Las Vegas, while Kade Morris and Darell Hernaiz were also brought back up, giving the club another round of fresh faces to sort through as it tries to patch together a lineup and pitching staff on the fly.
Jacob Wilson and Tyler Soderstrom both landed on the 10-day injured list, and Jos Suarez went on the paternity list, so the As had to create room however they could. Michael Kelly was the roster casualty this time, a reminder that every injury ripple can force a move even before the front office gets a chance to settle on the next version of the roster. [Read more 🡒]