Dion’s Dominant Start, Cairo’s Inside-the-Park Home Run Guide Captains to 2-1 Victory

EASTLAKE, Ohio – In the third of a scheduled six-game series, the Lake County Captains (24-24) defeated the Quad Cities River Bandits (25-23) by a final score of 2-1 on Thursday night at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.

Captains starting pitcher Will Dion (3-0) had one of his best outings of the season, as the left-hander pitched a season-high six scoreless innings, allowing just 3 hits and one walk, while throwing 3 strikeouts in 76 pitches (46 strikes).

After allowing a single in the first inning to Javier Vaz, who was soon caught stealing for the first time in 13 attempts this season by Captains catcher Micael Ramirez, Dion would retire the next 12 River Bandits hitters in order before allowing his only walk of the game.

An ensuing single would put two Quad Cities runners on base for the only time during Dion’s outing. The left-hander, however, would force a groundout to end the top of the fifth inning. Then, after allowing a leadoff single to begin the top of the sixth inning, Dion would force a flyout and an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play to conclude his ninth appearance and fourth start of the season.

Offensively, both teams combined for just one run in the game’s first seven innings. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Captains second baseman Christian Cairo would hit an inside-the-park home run to left field, his second home run of the season, for the game’s first run. This was Lake County’s first inside-the-park home run since June 28^th, 2022, when current Akron RubberDuck Petey Halpin hit one against the Lansing Lugnuts, also at home in Eastlake.

With a walk in the top of the second inning as well, Cairo extended his on-base streak to 16 games, which is tied for the second-longest such streak by a Captain this season.

Over the course of the next three innings, nine of 10 Lake County hitters were retired, with Micael Ramirez being the lone hitter to reach base with a walk in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Captains pitcher Aaron Davenport would enter the game in the top of the seventh inning, making just his second career Minor League relief appearance. The right-hander would retire six of the first seven River Bandits hitters he faced.

Lake County would add another run to their lead in the home half of the eighth inning, as shortstop Yordys Valdes would be hit by pitch, eventually steal third base, and then score on a throwing error from Quad Cities catcher Carter Jensen, giving the Captains a 2-0 lead through eight innings.

Then, in the next half-inning, Davenport would allow a walk to River Bandits leadoff hitter Jack Pineda and an RBI double to Javier Vaz in consecutive plate appearances, which cut Lake County’s lead in half to 2-1. Davenport would finally retire the next three Quad Cities hitters in order, earning his first career Minor League save in his first relief appearance since August 23^rd, 2021.

First pitch for Game 4 of this week’s six-game series between the Captains and River Bandits is scheduled for tomorrow night at 7:00 PM. Classic Auto Group Park will host its first postgame “Friday Fireworks” show after the game. Coverage of the game can be found on both the Bally Live app and MiLB.tv, as well as through @LCCaptains on Twitter and Instagram.