TOLEDO, Ohio -- After Dawel Lugo drew the fourth ball and jogged down to first base in the early innings of a game at Fifth Third Field Sunday night, he broke into the grin of someone who had just hit a home run.
Across the infield, manager Doug Mientkiewicz shared the enthusiasm.
For Lugo, a 23-year-old infield prospect with the Detroit Tigers' Triple-A affiliate in Toledo, a walk is nearly as rare as a home run, which is something he's trying to change.
"I would like to have more walks. It's an important part of the game and I need to get on base," he said in an interview in Spanish over the weekend.