(Cedar Rapids, IA) - Gregori Vasquez and the Lake County Captains (12-12, 41-53) came out on top in a sensational pitcher's duel on Sunday afternoon. Vasquez held the Cedar Rapids Kernels (16-8, 48-45) to just one hit over six scoreless innings and lefty Bryan Sammons did the same to the
(Cedar Rapids, IA) - Gregori Vasquez and the Lake County Captains (12-12, 41-53) came out on top in a sensational pitcher's duel on Sunday afternoon. Vasquez held the Cedar Rapids Kernels (16-8, 48-45) to just one hit over six scoreless innings and lefty Bryan Sammons did the same to the Captains before the Lake County offense broke through for a 4-0 win at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Vasquez and Sammons carved up their opponents through six dominant innings. The Captains' right-hander struck out six and allowed just two baserunners on two walks, a second-inning double by Trey Cabbage and a sixth-inning error. Sammons, meanwhile, allowed four men to reach base on three walks and a fourth-inning single by Oscar Gonzalez . The lefty struck out four and the game remained scoreless into the seventh.
Sammons continued his dominance at the start of the seventh inning. The southpaw struck out Jonathan Laureano to begin the inning, but then fell behind Will Benson with three straight balls. Benson then ambushed the 3-0 offering and hammered a line drive home run over the right field wall to break the scoreless deadlock.
Benson's homer broke the seal for Lake County. Gianpaul Gonzalez followed the long ball with a sharp single to left-centerfield. After Sammons got Miguel Eladio to pop out, Jesse Berardi pounded another solid hit. Berardi laced a liner to right field that skipped to the wall. Gonzalez hustled around third and tried to score all the way from first. Cabbage dug the ball out in right and fired to shortstop Michael Davis who threw home. The throw beat Gonzalez, but catcher Ben Rodriguez dropped the baseball as he went to tag the diving runner and Gonzalez scored to give the Captains a 2-0 lead.
The Captains added to their lead in the ninth inning. Righty reliever Rickey Ramirez walked Eladio and Berardi back-to-back to start the inning and Todd Isaacs hit a bunt single to load the bases. Nolan Jones came up next with the infield in and lined a single to center that brought home Berardi to give Lake County a 3-0 lead.
The Kernels went to the bullpen after Jones' single and called on right-hander Jose Martinez to face Jose Vicente with runners on the corners and one out. Vicente hit a slow chopper to third, but the ball ate up Cabbage, who had moved from right field to third base after Jared Akins pinch-hit for shortstop Michael Davis the previous half inning. The ball hit Cabbage in the chest and the third baseman's throw to first was too late to retire Vicente. Isaacs scored to give the Captains a 4-0 advantage.
Vasquez (4-4) earned the win after one-hitting the Kernels across six scoreless innings. In his most dominant start of the season, the right-hander struck out six and walked two. Jonathan Teaney pitched two perfect innings in the seventh and eighth before Kyle Nelson surrendered two hits in a scoreless ninth to seal the shutout victory.
Sammons (5-5) matched Vasquez punch-for-punch until the seventh and suffered the loss. The lefty pitched 6.2 innings and gave up two runs - one earned - on four hits. He struck out five and walked three.
The Captains snapped Cedar Rapids' three-game winning streak and broke their own two-game winning streak with the victory. Lake County and the Kernels have split the first two contests in this three-game series and will square off in the rubber game on Monday afternoon. First pitch at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET.
Information about Classic Park or the Captains can be found online at www.captainsbaseball.com and by phone at 440-954-<st1:stockticker w:st="on">WINS (9467). Affordable ticket packages and group party and picnic options are available now.
