Captains Complete Six-Game Sweep, Win 13-7 in Nine-Home Run Slugfest, For Ninth Straight

(EASTLAKE, OH) – For the first time in franchise history, the Lake County Captains (61-45) have completed a six-game series sweep after defeating the Fort Wayne TinCaps (44-64) by a score of 13-7. The victory extends Lake County’s winning streak to nine consecutive games.

The scoring started with back-to-back RBI hits from Captains center fielder Petey Halpin (double) and Gabriel Rodriguez (single), which gave them a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

In the top of the second, Lake County starting pitcher Rodney Boone would escape a no-outs, bases-loaded jam to keep the score at 2-0. Boone recorded his third win of the season, allowing five earned runs and striking out six in five innings pitched.

Two more Captains runs followed with back-to-back solo home runs from left fielder Korey Holland and second baseman Angel Martinez in the bottom of the second, extending their lead to 4-0. Martinez’s home run would extend his on-base streak to 24 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the Midwest League.

Then, in the bottom of the third, another solo home run from Petey Halpin, his third home run of the series, would give Lake County a 5-0 lead through three innings. He would finish the game a season-high 4-5 with three RBI.

TinCaps starting pitcher Garrett Hawkins would only last three innings, allowing six hits and five earned runs while striking out two in his High-A debut.

However, Fort Wayne would storm back in the fourth and fifth innings. TinCaps catcher Austin Kerner’s second home run of the season, a two-run shot, would cut their deficit to 5-2 in the fourth. Following a scoreless fourth from Lake County, Fort Wayne second baseman Olivier Basabe would hit his fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot, to tie the game at five.

The Captains would then regain the lead, which they would retain for the rest of the game, with a two-out RBI single from catcher Micael Ramirez, making the score 6-5 Lake County through five innings.

Soon after, in the sixth, Captains relief pitcher Davis Sharpe would hold the TinCaps scoreless, as part of a perfect, two-inning outing. Lake County would then respond with a five-run bottom of the sixth inning, which was capped off with a three-run home run by first baseman Aaron Bracho, extending their lead to 11-5.

Fort Wayne relief pitcher Bodi Rascon would record his first loss of the season with the TinCaps, allowing eight earned runs and nine hits in his High-A debut.

Both teams would trade two-run innings in the seventh and eighth. In the bottom of the seventh, Lake County would plate two more runs with a two-run home run from Johnathan Rodríguez, putting the Captains up 13-5. This was Rodríguez’s third home run in as many games and would make him the outright home run leader in the Midwest League with 21.

In the top of the eighth, Fort Wayne would hit two more home runs off of Lake County reliever Jack DeGroat. Basabe led off the inning with his second of the game and fifth of the season, a solo shot, and center fielder Joshua Mears would also hit a solo shot, his 14th home run of the season, to cut the Captains’ lead to 13-7.

Finally, with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, Lake County relief pitcher Trey Benton would force a game-ending flyout from TinCaps right fielder Agustin Ruiz, giving the Captains the victory.

Following an off-day, Lake County will begin a six-game road series against the West Michigan Whitecaps on Tuesday, August 16, with first pitch at 6:35 PM.

Coverage of the game can be found on WJCU.org/Captains, and the MiLB First Pitch app.