Denholm Dazzles, Furman Homers Twice as Captains Split Doubleheader

EASTLAKE, OH – In the third and fourth games of a scheduled six-game series, the Lake County Captains (19-12) split a seven-inning doubleheader against the Dayton Dragons (13-18) on Friday at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.

Lake County won Game 1 by a final score of 8-0, while falling in Game 2 by a final score of 7-2.

Game 1

The Captains played arguably their most complete game of the season in a resounding 8-0 victory over the Dragons.

RHP Trenton Denholm (3-0) delivered arguably the best start of his Minor League career, recording a seven-inning complete game shutout.

For the second time in his career, the 24-year-old pitched seven innings. He allowed just three baserunners and threw a season-high nine strikeouts in 85 pitches (64 strikes). Denholm’s three baserunners allowed were courtesy of a double and a walk in the top of the second inning, and a leadoff double to begin the fourth frame. He retired the final 12 Dayton hitters he faced.

Offensively, 2B Nate Furman immediately set the tone for the Captains. From the leadoff spot, the 22-year-old hit a solo home run on the first pitch he saw to give Lake County an early 1-0 advantage.

Then, in the bottom of the fourth inning, he hit a two-out, three-run home run to complete a five-run bottom of the fourth inning. This marked Furman’s first multi-home run game of his Minor League career, as he tied his Minor League career-high with four RBI in the contest.

SS Jose Devers, MLB Pipeline’s No. 19 Cleveland prospect, tallied a sacrifice fly, and RF Angel Zarate hit a two-out RBI single in the half-inning to contribute to the Captains’ surge. 3B Tyresse Turner proceeded to ground into an RBI forceout one frame later, extending Lake County’s lead to 7-0.

Finally, 1B C.J. Kayfus then hit a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to put the Captains ahead 8-0, giving him a homer in three consecutive games. LF Guy Lipscomb also tallied a pair of doubles to extend his hitting streak to eight contests, which was eventually snapped in Game 2.

Game 2

Dayton’s four-run second inning helped hand the Captains a 7-2 loss, their first loss in eight days.

After Lake County LHP Steve Hajjar (0-1) pitched a 1-2-3 first inning, the Dragons took a 4-0 lead in the second despite not recording a hit. Dayton drew two walks, two hit-by-pitches and tallied a pair of RBI groundouts against the former Dragon Hajjar.

The 23-year-old recorded his first loss of the season, tying season-highs of four earned runs allowed and three strikeouts, while surrendering no hits and walking a season-low two (tied) in 41 pitches (22 strikes).

In the bottom of the second, Lake County responded when CF Jonah Advincula doubled in 1B Maick Collado to cut its deficit to three.

But Dayton answered in the top of the third, when 2B Sal Stewart, MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 Cincinnati prospect, scored on a wild pitch by Captains LHP Adam Tulloch.

In the top of the fourth, the Dragons extended their lead to six on an RBI single by 1B Ruben Ibarra, and a two-run double by RF Jay Allen II, MLB Pipeline’s No. 25 Cincinnati prospect.

Lake County 1B C.J. Kayfus, who had his three-game home run streak snapped, drove in the game’s final run in the bottom of the fifth. He rolled into an RBI groundout to plate DH Nate Furman, who recorded two singles in the contest.

Dayton RHP Myles Gayman (1-3) earned the win in relief after four one-run innings from RHP Kevin Abel.

First pitch for the fifth game of this week’s scheduled six-game series between the Captains and Dragons is scheduled for Saturday night at 6:35 p.m. Lake County will host Monsters Night, where the team will pay tribute to the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters. The game will be broadcast on both the Bally Live app and MiLB.TV, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on both X and Instagram.

Notes To Know

- RHP Trenton Denholm’s seven-inning complete game shutout in Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader marked Lake County’s first since RHP Aaron Davenport recorded one on September 4, 2022 in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Great Lakes.

- With his solo home run in Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader, INF/OF C.J. Kayfus became the first Captain to homer in three straight games since OF Johnathan Rodríguez homered in three consecutive contests from August 12 to August 14, 2022. Rodríguez also accomplished the feat from July 30 to August 2, 2022.

- With his leadoff solo home run in Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader, INF Nate Furman hit Lake County’s first leadoff home run since OF Jake Fox, MLB Pipeline’s No. 18 Cleveland prospect, hit one on August 20, 2023 versus Peoria.

- With a single in the bottom of the fourth inning in Game 2 of Friday’s doubleheader, INF Maick Collado extended his on-base streak to 18 games, which is the longest by a Captain this season and second-longest active streak in the Midwest League. During this span, the 21-year-old has tallied a .322 batting average, 17 walks, and a .481 on-base percentage.

The Lake County Captains are the High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, and have been a Class A Affiliate of Cleveland since the team was founded in 2003. To find out more information about the Captains or purchase tickets, visit CaptainsBaseball.com, or call (440) 975-8085.