Errors burn Captains in another close one

(Dayton, OH) - The Lake County Captains (20-26) are now 1-6 against the Dayton Dragons (23-21) after a 5-4 loss on Wednesday, but nearly every game has been a nail-biter. The latest installment was no different, but three Lake County errors cost the Captains dearly in the third game of a four-game series at Fifth Third Field.
The Captains took an early 2-0 lead on a triple by Miguel Eladio in the second inning. After Joshua Rolette and Tyler Friis hit back-to-back two-out singles against Dayton starter Tyler Mondile, Eladio served a ball into the right field corner to score both runners. The throw went into second base and Eladio hustled to third with a triple.

Dayton came back with a run in the second inning on an RBI single by Hendrik Clementina and tied the score in the third on the first Lake County error of the night. With two outs, Dragons leadoff hitter Jeter Downs worked a long at-bat, fighting off pitch-after-pitch by Captains starter Kirk McCarty before he ultimately earned an eight-pitch walk. Andy Sugilio then slapped a single to right field. Will Benson lost the ball in the sun and located it after the first hop, but could not field it cleanly. Downs raced around third to score the tying run.
The game remained tied at 2-2 until the Captains broke through in the seventh. Friis, who led the team with his second three-hit day, doubled against Tyler Buffett to begin the frame. Two batters later, Todd Isaacs hit a high chopper over Leandro Santana's head at third to bring home Friis with the go-ahead run. Jesse Berardi came up next and blooped a double down the left field line to plate Isaacs and give Lake County a 4-2 lead.
The Captains did not hold the lead long. Two errors enabled Dayton to come back and tie the score in the bottom of the seventh. With one out and Jonathan Teaney on the mound, Clementina grounded a ball into the shortstop hole. Eladio could not get his glove on it and the ball kicked off his right foot. Clementina took second base as the ball skipped toward the left field line. Miles Gordon then grounded out to first, moving Clementina to third and Santana singled to score Clementina and cut Lake County's lead to one run.
Jose Garcia followed with a single to right field and Santana tried to go from first to third. Benson whipped the ball toward third, but Eladio saw Garcia taking a wide turn at first base and cut the ball off in the infield grass. Eladio fired the ball to first, but his throw skipped past Ulysses Cantu and bounced out of play. Santana scored the tying run and Garcia moved to third on the error.
Dayton might have taken the lead in the seventh, if not for a clutch play by Rolette behind the plate. The Dragons had Garcia on third and Downs on first with two outs after a hit-by-pitch. Teaney got Sugilio to strike out on swinging at a pitch in the dirt, but the ball rolled through Rolette's legs. Garcia sprinted home, Rolette scrambled, found the ball and whipped it quickly to first base. The throw narrowly beat the hustling Sugilio to end the inning. Had Sugilio won the race, Garcia's run would have scored to put the Dragons ahead.
Dayton did ultimately take its first and only lead in the eighth and they did it against a man who had not surrendered an earned run all year. Captains lefty Kyle Nelson had gone 19.1 innings without giving up an earned run, but Stuart Fairchild hit a one-out double into the left field corner and John Sansone singled him home to give the Dragons a 5-4 lead.
Lake County threatened in the ninth against closer John Ghyzel, but a sensational catch by Fairchild in left field sunk the Captains' hopes. Friis led off with a single, but Ghyzel got Eladio to line out to left and Isaacs to strike out for the first two outs. With two gone, Berardi smacked a liner to the gap in left-center, but Fairchild made a diving grab to end the game.
Ghyzel picked up his eighth save and reliever Dauri Moreta earned the win in relief. Moreta (1-0) pitched 1.2 shutout and hitless innings, beginning in the seventh. He struck out two and did not walk a batter.
Nelson (3-1) suffered the loss. The left-hander pitched the eighth and allowed one run on three hits. He struck out two and did not issue a walk.
The Captains and Dragons have now played seven games this year and five of them have been decided by one run, including all three games in this series. Six of the contests this season have been decided by three runs or fewer.
Lake County and Dayton will wrap up their four-game series on Thursday night. First pitch at Fifth Third Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. After dropping two out of the first three, the Captains will hope to split the series.
Information about Classic Park or the Captains can be found online at www.captainsbaseball.com and by phone at 440-954-<st1:stockticker w:st="on">WINS (9467). Affordable ticket packages and group party and picnic options are available now.