Published April 09, 2004
Lugnuts win opener

By Eric McKinney
For the Lansing State Journal

BATTLE CREEK - The Lansing Lugnuts utilized four pitchers to blank the Battle Creek Yankees 3-0 Thursday night at C.O. Brown Stadium for the first opening-day shutout in the team's nine-year history.

The group allowed just four hits with 12 strikeouts.

"Being as cold as it is (45 degrees) the hitters are going to have a disadvantage," said starter Sean Marshall (1-0). "So we just worked on going in, throwing strikes and getting our outs."

Over six shutout innings, Marshall notched seven strikeouts with zero walks and three hits.

Clay Rapada, Randy Wells and Weston O'Brien also pitched. O'Brien earned the save.

The Lugnuts had just one extra-base hit with eight singles. They also stranded 10 base runners.

"I think in the first couple months that's what we're going to have to do to win ball games," rightfielder Kyle Boyer said. "You can't really rely on those long balls (in the cold) to help us out early in the season."

Boyer finished 4-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Fellow newcomers Ryan Fitzgerald and Drew Larsen each added an RBI.

Lansing righthander Ronald Bay faces Battle Creek's T.J. Beam at 6 p.m. for game two of the three-game series.