Lake County Leave 10 on Base, Great Lakes Take 2-0 Series Lead

(EASTLAKE, OH) – The Great Lakes Loons (17-12) plated three runs in the eighth inning, to defeat the Lake County Captains (12-16) 5-2 on a clear 75-degree Wednesday night at Classic Park.

Aaron Davenport earned the start and retired the first six batters he faced. The seventh batter was Edwin Mateo who blasted a ball over the right-center field wall to give the Loons a 1-0 lead in the third. The right-hander would load the bases in the inning but stranded the runners after gaining his fourth and final strikeout.

The Captains offensively gained two base runners through the first three frames. In the bottom of the fourth, Petey Halpin reached via an error and was followed by Jhonkensy Noel. Noel rocketed a 1-1 pitch over the left-field bleachers, his seventh home run of the season.

Lake County would only have the lead for only that half-inning, as in the fifth Imanol Vargas hit a triple down the right-field line and was plated on a sacrifice fly by Jonny DeLuca. Davenport would face only one more batter and issue his second walk. The Kirkland, WA native allowed four hits over 4.1 innings.

Damon Casetta-Stubbs made his Captains debut, getting the final two outs in the fifth. Cade Smith would enter with two runners on in the sixth and retire back-to-back batters and threw a scoreless seventh.

In the eighth, the Loons luck changed. Leonel Valera who had two hits in the game, stepped up and chopped one to short, the throw came but first basemen Joe Naranjo was told by the umpire his foot was off the bag. A bloop single followed putting two on and then Joe Vranish delivered an RBI single. Another single and another error led to two additional runs scoring, making it a three-run eighth.

Lake County had two instances with two runners in scoring position but squandered both chances. In the fifth, a strikeout and groundout ended things and in the seventh bases were loaded and strikeout a finalized that inning.

The Captains only managed to base runners in the last two innings. Connor Kokx did reach second in the ninth and had a 3-3 day with three singles, a walk and a stolen base.

The Lake County Captains faceoff against the Great Lakes Loons in game three tomorrow Thursday, May 12. It will be Thirsty Thursday where fans can enjoy half-price Modelo draft beer and fountain soda until 9:00 p.m., first pitch is at 6:35 p.m.

Coverage of the game can be found on WJCU.org/Captains and the MiLB First Pitch app.