Devers Caps Off Big Day with Lake County’s Second Straight Walk-Off

EASTLAKE, OH – In the second game of a scheduled seven-game series, the Lake County Captains (13-9) defeated the Fort Wayne TinCaps (8-14) by a final score of 7-6 on Wednesday afternoon at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.

This victory extends Lake County’s season-long winning streak to seven games, which is the third-longest active winning streak in Minor League Baseball.

SS Jose Devers, MLB Pipeline’s No. 19 Cleveland prospect, gave the Captains their second consecutive walk-off win by drawing a game-winning, bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning. The 20-year-old was integral in both walk-offs, also scoring Tuesday night’s lone run in a rundown to win the series-opener.

Devers recorded his third consecutive three-hit game, going 3-for-4 at the plate with his first two career High-A RBI. He hit his first career High-A home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, a solo shot that gave Lake County its first run of the day.

This came after Fort Wayne scored four runs in the top of the fourth off of Captains LHP Parker Messick (ND), MLB Pipeline’s No. 21 Cleveland prospect. The TinCaps’ surge was anchored by a leadoff solo home run from 3B Devin Ortiz and five consecutive two-out hits, which included an RBI double and two RBI singles. Messick pitched a season-high six innings for his second consecutive start, allowing a career-high eight hits (tied) and no walks, while throwing six strikeouts in 87 pitches (60 strikes).

In the top of the seventh, Fort Wayne DH Ethan Salas, MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 and MLB’s No. 8 prospect, rolled an RBI groundout, and Ortiz slammed his second solo home run of the afternoon, extending the TinCaps’ lead 6-1.

But the Captains responded, as their first six hitters reached base in the following half-inning. This stretch included an RBI double from 2B Alex Mooney, MLB Pipeline’s No. 20 Cleveland prospect, and RBI singles from RF Angel Zarate and 3B Tyresse Turner, which made it a 6-4 game. Then, with the bases loaded and one out, Fort Wayne LHP Mitchell Miller (1-2) struck out two Lake County batters to preserve the TinCaps’ lead.

After a scoreless eighth inning from both sides, Lake County RHP Jay Driver (1-0) kept the Captains’ deficit at two with a scoreless top of the ninth, eventually earning his first career High-A win.

After C Zac Fascia struck out to begin the home half of the inning, Lake County recorded four consecutive hits. LF Guy Lipscomb singled and CF Jake Fox, MLB Pipeline’s No. 18 Cleveland prospect, hit a ground-rule double to bring 1B C.J. Kayfus to the plate.

The 2023 third-round pick out of Miami (FL) delivered, slashing a game-tying, two-run single up the middle to deadlock the game at 6-6.

Finally, following a DH Maick Collado single and Alex Mooney walk, Jose Devers drew his game-winning, bases-loaded walk, becoming the sixth straight Captain to reach base to end the game.

First pitch for a seven-inning doubleheader between the Captains and TinCaps is scheduled for Thursday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. It will be Bald Is Beautiful Night at the ballpark, where the team will also host its second “Dawg Day” and pay special tribute to Great Danes. The games 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

- The Captains have walked it off in back-to-back games for the first time since April 19 and 20, 2023 versus Lansing. Isaiah Greene hit a walk-off single in a 5-4 win on April 19, and Joe Lampe also hit a walk-off single in a 3-2 win on April 20 (Game 1 of a seven-inning doubleheader).

- With his ninth-inning single, Maick Collado extended his on-base and hitting streaks to 13 and nine games, respectively. During his on-base streak, the 21-year-old is hitting .366 (15-for-41) with five runs, one double, one home run, five RBI, 15 walks, and a 1.007 OPS.

- With a pair of singles, C.J. Kayfus extended his hitting streak to seven games. During this span, the 22-year-old is hitting .357 (10-for-28) with six runs, two doubles, one triple, one home run, nine RBI, three walks, and a 1.031 OPS.

- Jose Devers is now hitting .500 (12-for-24) with seven runs, two doubles, one home run, two RBI, two walks, one stolen base, and a 1.246 OPS in his last six games. He is tied for the Midwest League’s second-highest batting average during this span, trailing only South Bend’s Pedro Ramirez (.522, 12-for-23).

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.

Contact: Logan Potosky, Play-by-Play Broadcaster & Media Relations Assistant
[email protected]