Ingle’s Two Clutch RBI Hits Propel Captains to 3-2 Win Over Whitecaps

EASTLAKE, OH – In the finale of a season-opening, three-game series, the Lake County Captains (2-1) defeated the West Michigan Whitecaps (1-2) by a final score of 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.

Captains C Cooper Ingle drove in two of Lake County’s three runs with a pair of two-out, go-ahead RBI hits.

First, the 22-year-old hit an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning to plate the game’s first run. Then, in the bottom of the eighth inning, his RBI double put the Captains back in front 3-2. These hits gave Ingle his first pair of RBI of the season, and his third multi-RBI game as a Captain.

But before the Lake County catcher’s late-game heroics, the Whitecaps broke through in the top of the fourth inning. A two-run double from RF Roberto Campos put West Michigan ahead by a score of 2-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, Captains DH Johnny Tincher answered with a solo home run off of Whitecaps LHP Carlos Pena (0-1), the 2023 Midwest League leader in ERA (3.11). This was Tincher’s first career professional home run in his fourth career game (second with Lake County). The 2023 11th-round pick cleared the left field wall to tie the game at 2-2.

After Tincher’s home run in the fifth, Lake County pitching retired 12 of the last 14 West Michigan hitters.

LHP Adam Tulloch struck out two Whitecaps batters in three shutout innings of relief, allowing just three hits and walking one. RHP Zach Jacobs (1-0) then pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, which included two strikeouts. One inning later, Jacobs forced two flyouts and a groundout to earn his first High-A victory and seal the series win.

After an off day tomorrow, the Captains will begin a six-game road series against the Fort Wayne TinCaps. First pitch for the series-opener on Tuesday night is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at Parkview Field in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The series will be broadcast on both the Bally Live app and MiLB.TV, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on both X and Instagram.

In its last two games, the Lake County bullpen has now pitched 7.2 straight scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts as a unit.

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
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