TinCaps Throttle Captains 14-8

(EASTLAKE, OH) - The Lake County Captains (74-53) permitted a season-worst seven runs in one inning, the top of the third, which supported the Fort Wayne TinCaps (50-78) 14-8 victory on a clear-skied Thursday evening at Classic Park.

With the Lake County loss, and West Michigan victorious tonight, the Captains now have a one-game lead in the Midwest League East second-half standings. The magic number remains two for the Captains, with three games left.

Lake County starter Jaime Arias allowed nine runs through 2.2 innings. Fort Wayne’s tacked on seven in the third inning. Justin Farmer and Cole Cummings both had RBI doubles.

Two more runs were plated by the TinCaps in the fourth after an error from Lenny Torres. After four innings, Fort Wayne had 11 runs and 12 hits.

The Captains posted their first two runs in the bottom of the fourth. After a single from Joe Naranjo, Korey Holland rifled a ball down the left-field line for an RBI double. Connor Kokx stepped up next and hit his second triple of 2022, to bring Holland home.

Fort Wayne launched the long ball in the top of the fifth inning, Brandon Valenzuela and Agustin Ruiz both delivered solo homers off Matt Turner.

Lake County down 14-2, did not go down without a fight. After two scoreless innings from Danny Denz, the Captains strung together three consecutive doubles in the bottom of the eighth. Christian Cairo, Joe Naranjo, and Micael Ramirez smacked doubles to score a combined four runs.

The bottom of the ninth began with an Aaron Bracho walk, he reached second on defensive indifference and third on a groundout. Yordys Valdes plated Bracho with a sacrifice fly to left. Christian Cairo had his second straight hit and RBI with a two-out single. The game would end with a strikeout.

In the final three innings on the mound, Zach Hart, Jack DeGroat, and Alaska Abney all worked a 1-2-3 frame.

Game four of the series between the Captains and TinCaps will be tomorrow Friday, September 9th, with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. It is the final Friday Night Fireworks presented by Meijer and Lake County will don “Monarch” themed jerseys as a part of Fox Monarch Night brought to you by Fox 8.

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