Lansing’s Five-Run Sixth Proves Crucial, Captains Fall 10-4 In Series Finale

EASTLAKE, OH – In the finale of a six-game Midwest League East series, the Lake County Captains (6-8) fell to the Lansing Lugnuts (7-8) by a final score of 10-4 on Sunday afternoon at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.

The Lugnuts were anchored by eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings combined. Meanwhile, Lake County went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, compared to Lansing’s 7-for-19 mark. The Captains also committed a season-high four errors in the defeat.

2B Jake Fox, MLB Pipeline’s No. 18 Cleveland prospect, C Zac Fascia, and 3B Alex Mooney, MLB Pipeline’s No. 20 Cleveland prospect each posted two-hit games. 1B Maick Collado went 1-for-2 with three walks, reaching base in four of his five plate appearances.

Lansing struck first in the top of the first on an RBI double by CF Henry Bolte, MLB Pipeline’s No. 11 Oakland prospect, off of Captains RHP Trenton Denholm. Denholm proceeded to retire 13 of the next 15 Lugnuts batters. The right-hander did not record a decision, allowing a season-high seven hits, three runs, two earned runs (tied), and no walks, while throwing three strikeouts in 83 pitches (60 strikes).

In the bottom of the fourth, Lake County CF Jonah Advincula hit a game-tying sacrifice fly to score Collado, leveling the game at 1-1.

In the fifth inning, the Lugnuts and Captains traded three-run half-frames. In the top half of the inning, Lansing 1B Will Simpson hit a two-run homer, and DH Danny Bautista Jr. ripped an RBI single. On the other side for Lake County, Fox clubbed a two-run homer, his second home run of the year and in as many games, and Collado re-tied the game with a two-out RBI single.

The Lugnuts quickly answered by loading the bases in the top of the sixth inning against Captains RHP Juan Zapata (0-2). Bolte then drew a bases-loaded walk, and LF Jonny Butler yanked a two-run, ground-rule double into right field in the ensuing at-bat. Zapata suffered his second loss of the season, allowing three hits, six runs (two earned), and three walks in one inning of work. Bolte scored the fourth run of the inning on a wild pitch by RHP Allan Hernández, and Bautista Jr. hit a two-out RBI single to cap off a five-run Lansing sixth.

In the top of the eighth, Bautista Jr. hit an RBI double to center field, completing a perfect 5-for-5 game at the plate and the Lugnuts’ stretch of six unanswered runs. Lake County left two runners on base in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, but did not score from the sixth inning on.

After an off day on Monday, the Captains will begin a six-game road series against the West Michigan Whitecaps. First pitch for the series-opener on Tuesday night is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at LMCU Ballpark in Comstock Park, Michigan. 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.

Notes To Know

- With a two-run shot on Sunday, Jake Fox has homered in back-to-back games for the first time since June 8 and June 9, 2022 at Fredericksburg as a member of Single-A Lynchburg. Each of Fox’s last four home runs dating back to September 6, 2023 have come against Lansing.

- Trenton Denholm has faced 77 straight batters without issuing a walk, a streak that dates back to September 8, 2023 versus Lansing, his final appearance of last season. He entered Sunday’s start as the Midwest League leader in WHIP (0.55).

- Maick Collado reached base four times on Sunday, reaching base nine times during the series. In five games played this week, Collado posted a team-best .524 OBP, the eighth-highest in the Midwest League during this span.

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
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