Lansing - The Lansing Lugnuts began their four-game series with the Burlington Bees with a close game on Thursday night, winning 4-3.
The Lugnuts (7-8) defeated the Bees (8-6) for the seventh time this year to improve their record against them to 7-1.
"I thought it was a well-pitched game by both teams," Lugnuts manager Julio Garcia said. " (Billy) Petrick battled in there, left with the win, and the bullpen has been pretty good all year."
Lansing starter Billy Petrick went five innings, while giving up three earned runs, nine hits, one walk and struck out three.
The Bees, however, got things started in the first inning with two runs as the heart of the Burlington lineup put on a hitting clinic.
The Lugnuts answered in the bottom of the third inning with a little help from the Bees defense. Burlington shortstop Walter Sevilla misque on a double-play ball which allowed Lansing to bring home two runs and tie the game.
In addition, two of the best base-stealers in the Midwest League met Thursday, and each lived up to their billing. Mitch Maier from Burlington stole second in the second inning to tie Lansing center fielder Chris walker with 34 steals on the year.
Not content with being tied for the lead, Walker stole second in the fourth inning to take back soul possession of the base-stealing lead with 35 steals.
"That is one stat I'm really concerned about," Walker said. "(Maier) was breathing down my throat, I had to get some breathing room."
Walker has been nursing a sore hamstring and admits that he is still not 100 percent, but he has had no hesitation about stealing bases.
The Lugnuts took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Walker's slicing single in between first and second base brought home a run for the Lugnuts.
"I'll take them anyway I can get them," said Walker, about his single the squirted through the infield.
A wild pitch brought Lansing shortstop Carlos Rojas home shortly after to give the Lugnuts a 4-2 lead.
Lugnuts first baseman Brian Dopirak singled in the bottom of the fifth inning, which gave him 27 straight games in which ha has hit safely. The Lansing record for longest hitting streak is 28 games, while the Midwest League record is 35 games.
Dopirak said it would be nice to break the record but it is not his main concern.
"I enjoy having the fans behind me," Dopirak said. "I just focus on what I have to do and do it."
The Lugnuts got out of a tight situation in the top of the sixth, with the bases loaded and only one out, Lugnuts reliever Randy Wells struck out Burlington center fielder Chris Lubanski, and got the next batter to groundout to retire the side.
The sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings were scoreless for both teams as the pitching was dominant.
The Lugnuts will face Burlington again tomorrow night 7:05 at Oldsmobile Park, 505 E. Michigan Ave., for the second game of the four-game series.
Probable starters for the game tomorrow night will be Robert Ransom(2-1) for the Lugnuts and John Gragg(2-7) for the Bees.
