Valdes’s 3-RBI Game Propels Captains to Sixth Consecutive Victory

By Logan Potosky

August 20, 2023

EASTLAKE, Ohio – In Game 1 of a doubleheader, the Lake County Captains (23-21, 54-55) defeated the Peoria Chiefs (25-21, 58-54) by a final score of 5-1 in 7 innings on Saturday afternoon at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake. This marks Lake County’s sixth consecutive victory, extending their longest

EASTLAKE, Ohio – In Game 1 of a doubleheader, the Lake County Captains (23-21, 54-55) defeated the Peoria Chiefs (25-21, 58-54) by a final score of 5-1 in 7 innings on Saturday afternoon at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.

This marks Lake County’s sixth consecutive victory, extending their longest winning streak of the season.

Yordys Valdes finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a High-A career-high 3 RBI. In the bottom of the 2^nd inning, the 22-year-old hit a game-tying RBI single to make the score 1-1. Then, in his next at-bat, Valdes hit a go-ahead two-run single in the bottom of the 4^th inning to give the Captains a 3-1 lead.

Junior Sanquintin drove in the final two runs of the game with a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the 6^th inning. This was the 21-year-old’s 3^rd home run of the season, which extended Lake County’s lead to 5-1.

Chase DeLauter, Cleveland’s No. 4 and MLB’s No. 90 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, hit a single in the bottom of the 3^rd inning to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. Dayan Frias, Cleveland’s No. 25 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, finished 2-for-3 with a triple and a single, extending his hitting streak to 6 games.

Cooper Ingle recorded his second career multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a ground-rule double and an infield single.

On the mound, Lake County starting pitcher Ethan Hankins (1-7) earned his first career Minor League win. The right-hander pitched a season-high 5 innings, allowing 2 hits, one earned run, and one walk, while tying his season-high of 5 strikeouts in 80 pitches (49 strikes).

Hankins retired 13 of the final 14 Chiefs hitters he faced, only allowing a single to Peoria’s Jimmy Crooks in this span. The right-hander’s only earned run allowed came in the top of the 1^st inning, when Crooks hit a two-out solo home run for the game’s first run.

In relief, Sergio Morillo and Juan Zapata each pitched a scoreless inning. Both pitchers each allowed one hit and threw one strikeout.