Captains prevail in slugfest over Loons 11-8 to win series
BY TIM SHIRER
CAPTAINS BEAT WRITER
(EASTLAKE, OH) - The Lake County Captains and Great Lakes Loons finished up their six-game series on Sunday night at Classic Park. The Captains had taken three of the first five games in the series prior to the rare 7 pm Sunday start. The game was delayed 30 minutes due to a rain shower around 6:30, but once the game began it was a back-and-forth affair and the Captains came out on top 11-8 sending the nice Sunday night crowd of 4,073 home happy.
The Captains got on the board first in the second inning when what else? A home run, this time by Gabriel Rodriguez, it was a solo shot and was his ninth of the season.
The Loons took the lead in the top of the fourth off Captains starter Tommy Mace. The rally in the inning was not all of Mace’s fault as there was two errors in the inning. The inning began with Captains shortstop committing a throwing error to first base allowing Diego Cartaya to reach safely. Jorbit Vivas then reached on a throwing error fielder’s choice on throw to second base which went into left field, both runners were safe. After Mace got Jose Ramos on strikes Damon Keith came to the plate and singled to left field driving home Cartaya with the Loons first run tying the game. The final run of the inning came when Imanol Vargas singled to rightfield and Vivas trotted home giving the Loons a 2-1 advantage. Mace was able to keep the damage at two runs when he got Aldrich DeJongh to ground into an inning ending double play.
The Captains struck back in the bottom of the fourth after Joe Naranjo struck out to lead off the inning. Jonathan Rodriguez then singled off Loon’s reliever Kendall Williams. With Rodriguez at first base Petey Halpin laced a triple to deep centerfield scoring Rodriguez and tying the game 2-2.
The Loons regained the lead in the top of the fifth inning scoring five runs and knocking Mace out of the game. In the inning before Mace exited, he recorded two outs, issued two base on balls, a single, a double and a runner reached on catcher’s interference by Captains backstop Mike Amditis. When all the dust settled, and Richard Burgos came into reliever Mace the Loons led 7-2.
The Captains struck back in the bottom of the fifth when the first two Captains Connor Kokx on a single and Mike Amditis on walk reached base. After Korey Holland struck out Tolentino came to the plate and blasted his third home run of the season over the right field fence pulling the Captains to within two runs at 7-5.
The Loons added another run in the top of the sixth inning extending their lead to 8-5.
The bottom of the sixth inning was when the game turned and the Captains scored four runs in the frame off Loon’s reliever Braydon Fisher. The big blow in the inning came when Korey Holland blasted his seventh home run of the season just over the left field wall onto the grass giving Lake County a 9-8 lead.
The Captains added two more runs in the eighth inning when Aaron Bracho led the inning off with a double and then Kokx smacked his fourth home run of the season on a line drive over the left field fence to give the Captains an 11-8 lead.
Richard Burgos picked up the win for Lake County and improves to 6-3 on the year with a 2.22 ERA. Zach Hart pitched a clean ninth inning striking out one Loon to pick up his fourth save of the season. Fisher blew the save, his fourth and took the loss for the Loons falling to 3-4 with a 3.57 ERA. Fisher will be glad that the Loons don’t see the Captains for a few weeks since he did not fair well in this series, he pitched two innings allowing five runs, all earned on three hits, one a three-run home run and he issued four base on balls for a plump ERA of 22.50.
The Captains will have the day off on Monday and resume the 12 game homestand Tuesday night at 6:35 pm against the Fort Wayne TinCaps (San Diego Padres). Pitchers for the series have not been announced.
POSTED 08/07/2022 22:52