(Eastlake, OH) - The Lake County Captains (18-26, 47-67) and Fort Wayne TinCaps (20-24, 52-61) played hot potato with the lead on Wednesday night at Classic Park. In a game that saw four lead changes in the first four innings and a Captains comeback in the bottom of the ninth
(Eastlake, OH) - The Lake County Captains (18-26, 47-67) and Fort Wayne TinCaps (20-24, 52-61) played hot potato with the lead on Wednesday night at Classic Park. In a game that saw four lead changes in the first four innings and a Captains comeback in the bottom of the ninth that fell painfully short, Lake County lost the series-opener to Fort Wayne, 9-8.
The TinCaps capitalized early on the Captains' biggest deficiency on Wednesday. Lake County's pitching staff walked a season-high 12 batters and it started in the first inning when Gregori Vasquez issued free passes to three of the first four batters of the contest. With the bases loaded on walks and just one out, Gabriel Arias opened the scoring with a two-run single to centerfield that plated Jeisson Rosario and Jack Suwinski to give Fort Wayne a 2-0 lead.
Lake County rebounded quickly. Oscar Gonzalez took TinCaps starter MacKenzie Gore deep with a solo shot in the first inning. The following frame, Will Benson led off with a single, stole second and advanced to third when catcher Jalen Washington's throw to second skipped off of second baseman Olivier Basabe's glove and into center. Elvis Perez followed with a single to knot the score. Two batters later, Perez was on second base and came home to score on a go-ahead single by Miguel Eladio to give Lake County a 3-2 advantage.
Fort Wayne answered in the third to recapture the lead. Vasquez issued a leadoff walk to Suwinski, but then retired the next two batters. Nick Feight singled with one out and advanced to second on a passed ball. With two men in scoring position and two outs, Washington laced a double that scored both Suwinski and Feight to put the TinCaps ahead, 4-3.
The Captains came back and grabbed what turned out to be their final lead of the game in the third. Richard Palacios and Jose Medina began the inning with back-to-back singles before Jose Vicente cracked a two-run double to the gap in left-center. Vicente ended the game with a game-high three RBIs, while Palacios tallied a game-best four hits in his return from the Disabled List. Vicente's two-base hit in the third put the Captains up, 5-4.
The TinCaps swung the pendulum back their way in the top of the fourth. Vasquez walked Aldemar Burgos to start the inning and Rosario followed with a single that moved Burgos up to third. Basabe bounced into a 6-4-3 double play, but Burgos scored from third to tie the game. Riley Echols replaced Vasquez on the mound after the double play, but that did not stop the TinCaps. Suwinski reached on an infield single and Owen Miller, in his first day with Fort Wayne, hit a two-run over the left field wall to put the TinCaps back in front, 7-5.
Fort Wayne added a pair of insurance runs against lefty Adam Scott in the seventh. Kelvin Melean ripped a solo home run to left. To batters later, Rosario doubled and Basabe tripled down the right field line to bring him home and push the TinCaps' lead to 9-5. Despite allowing two runs over two innings, Scott also struck out five men in relief.
Lake County rallied in the bottom of the ninth and put the tying run on base against righty reliever Evan Miller. Gabriel Mejia reached with one out on a throwing error by Melean at third. Gonzalez followed with a single to right and Mejia raced from first to third. Burgos' throw sailed over Melean and bounced into the stands, allowing Gonzalez to take second and Mejia to score and cut the TinCaps' lead to three runs. Palacios followed with his fourth single of the night, an RBI knock that plated Gonzalez and made it 9-7, Fort Wayne. Palacios advanced to second on a wild pitch, but Miller got Medina to pop up for out number two. Vicente kept the Captains' hopes alive, however. He dribbled a single through the right side and Palacios scored to cut the TinCaps' lead to one run. The Captains called on Todd Isaacs to pinch run for Vicente at first and Miller faced off against Benson. The right-hander threw the first three pitches out of the zone, but Benson took a crack at a 3-0 pitch and sent a fly ball to right-center. Rosario ranged over from center and made the catch to end the game.
TinCaps reliever Caleb Boushley earned the win. Boushley (5-3) pitched three innings out of shutout relief for Fort Wayne. He surrendered three hits, struck out three and did not walk a batter.
Echols (1-5) took the loss for Lake County. The right-hander pitched 1.1 innings and gave up two runs on two hits. Echols walked three and struck out one.
The Captains dropped the opener of a three-game series and will face the TinCaps again on Thursday night. First pitch at Classic Park is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Information about Classic Park or the Captains can be found online at www.captainsbaseball.com and by phone at 440-954-WINS (9467). Affordable ticket packages and group party and picnic options are available now.
