Great Lakes Gainsays Late Lake County Surge, Win 6-5

Eastlake, Ohio. – The Great Lakes Loons (21-11) held on for their fourth victory in the first five against the Lake County Captains (16-15) a 6-5 victory on a 72-degree cloudy Saturday night at Classic Park.

Aldry Acosta collected the final sixouts. Inheriting bases loaded and no outs in the eighth with the score 5-1 Loons, the right-hander worked around an error, limiting the damage to hold a one-run advantage. Acosta forced a 4-6-3 double play in the eighth and one in the ninth after the first two batters reached. An RBI single once again made it a one-run game but a flyout forced by Acosta closed the door. His first save of 2023.

Dalton Rushing added what was the winning run in the top of the ninth. Extending his on-base streak to 28 games with an RBI double to right-center that scored Austin Gauthier**, that made it 6-4.

Great Lakes starter Ben Casparius, had things working on Saturday. He finished five innings, his fifth quality start, making it through at least five. In the first, third, and fifth innings, the right-hander faced the minimum. In the second and fourth, Casparius stranded three runners in scoring position.

The second saw a leadoff walk and two-out double, the second-year Loon struck out three, all three swings and misses. The fourth inning saw a double and walk, with a double steal put on by Lake County that moved a runner to third but an out at second. The 2021 5th Round Pick of the Dodgers completed the inning with a punch out, his sixth of the day.

Taylor Young, the leading base stealer for Great Lakes took the game’s first run in the second inning. After reaching on a walk, he stole second. Young later moved to third with a stolen base after a drop from the Lake County catcher on the transfer from glove to hand. With the runner on the mind, Captains starter Ethan Hankins dropped the baseball, a balk and Young scored.

In the fifth, Griffin Lockwood-Powell interrupted a stretch of seven Loons going down, with a big blast to left field. A solo homer was the second in as many days for the 25-year-old.

Mitchell Tyranski and Reinaldo De Paula **each worked a scoreless inning in relief. Tyranski had strikeouts bookend his sixth inning. De Paula, permitted a single and a balk put Joe Donovan in scoring position, and the right-hander got a strikeout and groundout.

The top of the eighth is where the Loons gained a 5-0 lead. A three-hit, three-run inning. Chris Alleyne began it with his second single of the game, Austin Gauthier walked and after a strikeout, Damon Keith loaded the bases with an infield base knock. Alex Freeland walked to make it 3-0, and Taylor Young increased the lead by lacing a 1-0 pitch to centerfield, a two-run single.

Jack Dreyer in relief could not record an out. Christian Cairo started the inning with a single, then three walks followed, the third scoring a run. Aldry Acosta was then brought in. An error at first base scored run two, and a much need 4-6-3 double play made it a 5-3 score. With two outs, Joe Donavan swung at the first pitch fisting it into centerfield, pulling the Captains within one.

In total, both squads stranded seven on base. Lake County left four in the final four innings. The series finale is tomorrow Sunday, May 14th, with a first pitch time of 1:00 p.m. on Mother's Day.

The Great Lakes Loons have been the Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since the team’s inception in 2007. Dow Diamond serves as the team’s home and also houses the Michigan Baseball Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, and ESPN 100.9-FM. For tickets or information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.