Gabriel Rodriguez’s Homer Walks Off Great Lakes

(EASTLAKE, OH) – The Lake County Captains (52-43) began August and the 12-game homestand with a dramatic 4-3 walk-off win over the Great Lakes Loons (58-39) on a sunny Tuesday night at Classic Park.

Tommy Mace earned the start against the Loons and was solid in 4.2 innings. The right-hander after allowing two walks in the first, buckled down and accumulated five strikeouts combined over the next two innings.

The scoring opened in the fourth, Great Lakes started the inning with two hits. Imanol Vargas grounded out to short, to score the runner on third Jorbit Vivas. Mace after a walk, got back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.

Lake County offensively posted two runs in the bottom of the fourth on back-to-back home runs. Alexfri Planez muscled a ball over the left field wall, his fourteenth this season. Johnathan Rodriguez then followed up and lined a ball off the left field bleachers to take the 2-1 lead and give him three games in a row with a homer.

The Loons responded in the fifth, Ismael Alcantara reached and advanced to third off via two Captains errors. He was plated by a sacrifice fly to center field from Vivas. Jordan Jones ended the frame forcing a flyout.

After a scoreless sixth, Great Lakes took the lead in the seventh. Jorbit Vivas once again came through lining a two-strike two-out pitch to right field plating a run.

In the bottom of the seventh, Lake County knotted up the game at three. A leadoff walk by Petey Halpin put him on for the second time today. The 20-year-old reached third after a wild pitch and a groundout. With the infield in, Gabriel Rodriguez lined a ball in between the shortstop and third baseman to score Halpin.

With two outs in the top of the eighth, Alexfri Planez kept the score tied by leaping up and snatching a would-be go-ahead home run away from Luis Diaz.

The Loons struck out five times in the final two innings, Brian Eichorn gained two in the eighth and Alaska Abney struck out the side in the ninth.

After getting his fourth consecutive strikeout, Great Lakes removed Jeff Belge and brought in Cole Duensing with one out in the ninth. Gabriel Rodriguez took him deep to give Lake County their third walk-off win of the season.

Game two of the series between the Captains and Loons is tomorrow Wednesday, August 3. Three-dollar 12 oz. White Claws will be on sale for those 21 and older.

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