Three Errors Sink Captains

(Eastlake, OH) -Jordan Milbrath continued his stretch of quality starts on Saturday night. Milbrath would allow just one earned run over five innings of work. Unfortunately for Milbrath and the Lake County Captains, three errors would lead to three unearned runs. Those runs were too much for the offense to overcome as the Captains fell to the Bowling Green Hot Rods 4-2.                                                                                                          

The Hot Rods would strike first with two unearned runs in the top of the fourth inning. Mac James started the inning by reaching on a base hit. Grant Kay would then hit what looked like a double play groundball. However, Ordomar Valdez was unable to field the ball cleanly and the error put runners at first and second with no outs. After a walk to load the bases, Mlbrath would retire the next two batters before allowing a two run single to Thomas Milone for a 2-0 Hot Rods lead.                                                                                                                   

Hunter Lockwood would add another run on the board for Bowling Green when he led off the top of the fifth inning with a solo homerun to leftfield.  

The Captains would get on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning. Yu-Cheng Chang started the inning with a double. He would then steal third. Chang would score on Ordomar Valdez's RBI sacrifice fly to cut the Captains deficit to 3-1.  

In the bottom of the seventh inning the Captains would get to within a run. Taylor Murphy started the inning by blasting his seventh homerun of the season, a solo homerun to rightfield. The homerun cut the Hot Rod's lead to 3-2.   

In the top of the eighth inning the Hot Rods would add another unearned run. Lockwood started the inning with a single. He would advance to second on a ground out by Mac James. After Grant Kay walked, Carter Burgess bounced back to the mound. Cameron Hill's throw to second base was high for a throwing error that allowed Lockwood to score from second.

Milbrath (3-8) took the loss after going 6.0 innings. He allowed 3 runs, only 1 earned, on just 5 hits. He walked 4 and struck out 3. Hill would then go 1.1 innings in relief. He allowed 1 unearned run on 1 hit. Hill walked 1 and struck out 2. David Speer would pitch the final 1.2 innings of relief. He allowed just 1 hit while striking out 1. 

The Captains and Hot Rods continue their series on Sunday night with a special 6:30 start time. Sean Brady will get the start for the Captains. The first 1,500 fans will receive a bobble doll, presented by Lake Health, featuring Skipper in a bedazzled cowboy outfit brandishing a "Red Ryder Baseball Bat." The doll is the sixth in a series of "A Captains Story" bobbles that pays homage to the A Christmas Story house located in Cleveland. Sunday is a special 6:30 PM start and gates will open at 5:00 PM.           

Sunday is also the first of three special Sunday Night fireworks shows, presented by Discount Drug Mart. The Christmas-themed fireworks will conclude Family Fun Sunday, which includes a pre-game player autograph session, concourse entertainment and activities, the Kids' Zone area and the opportunity for kids to run the bases after the game, presented by Moe's Southwest Grill in Mentor.

Individual game tickets are on sale now at the Classic Park Box Office, Online at CaptainsBaseball.com and by phone at 440-954-WINS (9467). Mini ticket plans for the 2015 season are on sale now at great prices complete with several exclusive benefits.