Captains Pitching Cuts Down 18 Kernels, 5-1 Win

(CEDAR RAPIDS, IA) – The Lake County Captains (15-18) struck out a season-high 18 batters, in a dominant series-opening 5-1 win against the Cedar Rapids Kernels (24-10) on an overcast 70-degree Tuesday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Tanner Bibee yet again had another strong outing. The right-hander allowed only one run, and totaled nine strikeouts over six innings, a season-high. This was his third consecutive start in which he finished five innings of work.

The Kernels did have an opportunity in the first. With two runners on and two outs, Seth Gray put a ball into the outfield, which scored the lead runner in Aaron Sabato, or so it appeared. Sabato did not step on the third-base bag, and after a Bibee throw to the third baseman in Jhonkensy Noel, the third out was called.

The lone run that scored for Cedar Rapids came in the top of the third after Willie Joe Gray Jr. lined a ball over the left-field fence. Following the homer, Bibee allowed only one hit and had three inning-ending K’s.

Lake County offensively put runners on but couldn’t push one across through the first five innings. Kernels starter Sean Mooney, impressed in primetime going five innings, allowing one hit and striking out six.

The Captains went to work in the sixth, they had three of their seven hits in that frame. The equalizer came off the bat of Angel Martinez an RBI single that plated Petey Halpin from second to make it 1-1.

In the seventh, Zach Hart took the hill and dominated in his first appearance since April 23rd. He tossed 33 pitches over two innings and struck out all six batters he faced.

After leaving runners on base in the seventh and eighth inning, Lake County broke through in the ninth. Mike Amditis reached via an error and Connor Kokx singled, with one out. Korey Holland would replace Amditis at second and score the go-ahead run after Christian Cairo grounded a ball to the left side, which was misplayed at third base and bounced into left field.

With still two runners on, Joe Naranjo stepped up and delivered the dagger. A three-run blast over the left center field wall. It was Naranjo’s sixth homer of the season and made the score 5-1.

In the bottom of the ninth, Randy Labaut would permit only one base runner and strike out the other three batters faced.

Lake County and Cedar Rapids, play game two tomorrow Wednesday, May 18. Aaron Davenport will start for the Captains and Aaron Rozek for the Kernels.

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