Wild Pitches Assist the Captains in a Chaotic 10-inning Win 

(MIDLAND, MI) - The Lake County Captains (72-49) and Great Lakes Loons (73-50) utilized 13 pitchers and combined for 13 runs in an 8-5 10-inning Captains win on a clear-skied Thursday evening at Dow Diamond.

Lake County scored three runs off two wild pitches in the tenth to take a lead, and Jordan Jones set down Great Lakes in order to end the game.

Tommy Mace was the starter for Lake County and struck out the first batter he faced. His start would end there after Mace’s recurring blister broke open on a finger on his right throwing hand and he was removed. Raymond Burgos would end the inning, permitting two runs helped along by a throwing error.

The Captains cut into the deficit, in the top of the second. Korey Holland doubled to begin the inning and was plated on a sacrifice fly from Aaron Bracho.

After a 1-2-3 frame, Burgos allowed the first two Loons to reach scoring position to begin the bottom of the third. A groundout made it 3-1. Alaska Abney finished the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.

Great Lakes starter Adolfo Ramirez retired the last six he faced and went five innings allowing one run. Lake County produced most of their offense off the bullpen.

In the sixth, Milan Tolentino walked to get the ball rolling. Joe Naranjo stepped up and a hit-and-run was executed to perfection with an RBI double making it a one-run game. Naranjo then scored on an Alexfri Planez double to left center. Korey Holland would complete the Captains three-run inning slicing an RBI single to make it 4-3.

The Loons pushed a tying run across in the bottom of the sixth, with an RBI double from Ismael Alcantara.

Both teams would gain a run in the seventh. Korey Holland delivered his third hit and second run driven in for Lake County and a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded did the job for Great Lakes.

In the eighth and ninth, both teams stranded three runners. Yordys Valdes doubled with two outs in the eighth, his first Captains hit, and after a Milan Tolentino walk came a strikeout. In the ninth, Alexfri Planez led off the inning with a double, three strikeouts followed. In the bottom of the ninth, despite loading the bases Zach Hart earned a strikeout to push the game into extras.

Petey Halpin would act as the pinch runner to start on second. A walk for Connor Kokx and an infield single for Yordys Valdes loaded the bases. The two wild pitches, one from Reinaldo de Paula and the other from Yoan Valdes would bring across the three tallies.

Lake County starts the series with three straight wins and have won five in a row. The Captains and Loons will play three more this week. Tomorrow’s game is Friday, September 2nd, with the first pitch at 7:05 p.m.

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