Captains notch fifth straight win with 5-2 triumph over Dragons

(EASTLAKE, OH) - Saturday night at Classic Park the Lake County Captains and Dayton Dragons played game four of their five game series. It was Triston McKenzie Bobblehead night. McKenzie pitched for the Captains briefly making six starts in 2016 compiling a record of 2-2 with a 3.18 ERA. The Captains took the first three games in low scoring affairs. Saturday night was no difference. The Captains held off a late Dragons rally to win their fifth game in a row 5-2.

The Captains finally got on the board in the sixth inning with three runs off Dayton starter Thomas Farr. Farr retired the first hitter of the inning before allowing a double to left field off the bat of Petey Halpin. Jonathan Rodriguez then hit a broken bat single to shallow left field moving Halpin to third. With runners at the corners Gabriel Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly to right field and Halpin trotted home with the first run of the game. Aaron Bracho ended Farr’s night when he belted the first pitch, he saw deep over the right field fence giving the Captains a 3-0 lead. The home run was Bracho’s fifth of the season.

Meanwhile Captains starter Tommy Mace, who entered the game with a 0-4 record and a 6.02 ERA pitched five and two third shut out innings allowing five hits, issuing two base on balls and striking out six before he was removed from the game in favor of reliever Randy Labaut. Labaut got the final out of the inning.

The Dragons got on the board and threatened to do more damage in the eighth inning. The Dayton run came when J.V. Martinez led off the inning hitting his fourth home run of the season deep over the left field wall into the bleachers. Austin Hendricks followed with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Labaut then issued a base on balls to Ruben Ibarra to put men on the corners. Captains pitching coach Caleb Longshore then came out to give Labaut an encouraging word or two. Tyler Callihan then singled up the middle driving home Hendricks and pulling the Dragons to within one run at 3-2. That marked the end of the line for Labaut as Captains manager opted for his second reliever of the night Davis Sharpe.

Dragons right fielder Justice Thompson was behind in the count 1-2 when Sharpe hit him in the upper left arm with a pitch loading the bases with Dragons. Davis did not fool around with the next batter Garrett Wolforth striking him out on three pitches, the final pitch swinging. Sharpe seemed to shift into another gear as he got Willems to hit a line drive to right fielder Alexfri Planez then gunned down Ibarra at the plate preserving the Captains lead at 3-2.

The Captains added two runs in the eighth inning to finalize the scoring.

Labaut notched the win improving to 7-1 with a 1.89 ERA. Farr suffered the loss and falls to 0-5 but did lower his ERA to 5.98.

With the win the Captains improve to 11-8 in the second half 46-39 overall.

The Captains and Dragons will play the series finale on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm. Joe Boyle will be on the mound for the Dragons. Boyle, righthander is 3-3 with a 1.87 ERA. Jack Leftwich will take the hill for the Captains. Leftwich, also a righty started the first game of the series pitching six shut out innings, allowing just two hits and striking out 11. In his time with the Captains, he is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA..

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POSTED 07/16/2022 22:23

Lake County Captains relief pitcher Randy Labaut.. Photo by Tim Shirer