Lansing’s Four Unanswered Runs Lead to 6-3 Captains Defeat

EASTLAKE, Ohio – In the finale game of a six-game series, the Lake County Captains (24-21) fell to the Lansing Lugnuts (25-20) by a final score of 6-3 on Sunday afternoon at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.

Despite Lake County’s second consecutive defeat, the Captains ultimately took the series 4-2.

For Lansing, it was four unanswered runs from the fifth to the ninth inning that propelled them to their second consecutive victory.

The Lugnuts drew first blood in the top of the second, when C Nick Schwartz plated a pair of runs with a two-run single, giving Lansing an early 2-0 edge.

But Lake County was able to draw even in the bottom of the third inning when C Jacob Cozart, MLB Pipeline’s No. 15 Guardians prospect, blooped a two-out, two-run double into right field.

Then, in the following inning, LF Wuilfredo Antunez gave Lake County its first and only lead of the afternoon with a solo home run to right, his fourth homer of the year. The 23-year-old’s second home run in two games put the Captains in front 3-2 through four frames.

Lake County’s lead would be short-lived, however, when Lansing SS Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, MLB Pipeline’s No. 10 Athletics prospect, notched the game even at 3-3 with two-out RBI double in the top of the fifth inning.

Two frames later, the Lugnuts regained a 4-3 lead by way of a solo home run off the bat of C Nick Schwartz, his second hit and third RBI of the day. A sacrifice fly off the bat of 1B Jared Dickey in the top of the eighth and a two-out RBI single from Kuroda-Grauer in the top of the ninth extended Lansing’s lead to 6-3 with the Captains down to their final three outs.

Subsequently, a four-out save worked by Lansing RHP Mark Adamiak (S, 7) would put a stamp on the series finale, resulting in a 6-3 Lugnuts win. Adamiak extended his Midwest League lead to seven saves in the victory.

Lake County RHP Robert Wegielnik (L, 2-2) suffered his second loss of the year, allowing 4 hits, two earned runs in 1.2 innings of relief. LHP Caden Favors (ND) did not record a decision in his ninth start of the season, permitting just one hit, two earned runs, and two walks, while throwing two strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work.

Lugnuts RHP Yehizon Sanchez (W, 1-0) earned his first win of the season, working a perfect bottom of the sixth inning out of the Lansing bullpen. RHP Steven Echavarria (ND), MLB Pipeline’s No. 12 Athletics prospect, did not record a decision in his eighth start of the season, surrendering four hits, three earned runs, and three walks, while throwing three strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work.

After an off day on Monday, the Captains will begin a 12-game road trip with a six-game series against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. First pitch for the series opener at Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, May 27 is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. from Rise 2 Greatness Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The following week, first pitch for Lake County’s series opener at West Michigan on Tuesday, June 3 is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. from LMCU Ballpark in Comstock Park, Michigan.

The Captains’ next home game will be on Tuesday, June 10 at 7 p.m., when the Captains will open a six-game set versus the Dayton Dragons. It will be Community Champions Night at the ballpark, where Lake County will honor first responders.

All 18 games will be broadcast on the Bally Sports Live App and MiLB.com, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on X and Instagram.

Notes to Know

- OF Wuilfredo Antunez has now hit home runs in consecutive games (Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader and Sunday). This marks the second time he has done this in his professional career, last doing so on August 9 and August 10 with Single-A Lynchburg (three home runs in two games).

- C Jacob Cozart roped a two-run double for his 17^th RBI and sixth double of the season. Over the last two weeks (since May 11), his seven RBI are tied for the most among Captains hitters (also OF Alfonsin Rosario and 1B/LF Ralphy Velazquez).

- Cozart also reached base in each of his four plate appearances on Sunday (single, two-run double, and two walks). This marks the first time in his professional career that he has reached base in each plate appearance in a single game, and also the first time he has reached base at least four times in a single game.

About the Lake County Captains:

The Lake County Captains are the professional High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians located in Eastlake, Ohio. Our mission is to honor the rich history of our organization, while also introducing baseball to a new generation of fans through innovative means. We are committed to supporting our community, sports teams, and each other by demonstrating passion and having fun every day.