Captains set hits and errors records in win

Lake County slammed 20 hits, but committed six errors

June 8, 2016

(Eastlake, OH) - The Lake County Captains set one record they can be proud of and one they would rather forget on Wednesday afternoon, but prevailed with a come from behind win over the Lansing Lugnuts at Classic Park. The Captains set a season-high with 20 hits, but also tied a franchise record with six errors in a 14-12 victory against Lansing.

The Captains' shaky defense and stellar fielding both emerged early in the ballgame. Lake County committed a pair of errors in the first, allowing Lansing to score four runs, including three unearned. The offense responded in the bottom of the inning, however. Nathan Lukes led off the first with a home run and the Captains scored two more on a double by Connor Marabell and a single by Sam Haggerty. Despite the errors, the Captains were only down by one run after one inning.

Lake County's offense again cranked out hit-after-hit in the second inning. After Lukes worked a two-out walk, Willi Castro worked his way aboard with a bunt single. Tyler Krieger then singled home Lukes to tie the game. Krieger's single extended his hitting streak to 18 games, giving him the longest streak in the Midwest League this season. Immediately following the single, Francisco Mejia drove a three-run homer down the right field line to give the Captains their first lead, 7-4.

The three-run lead did not last long for Lake County. Defensive issues came back to bite the Captains again in the third, as Lansing sent 10 men to the plate in a five-run inning to take the lead right back. Lane Thomas hit a two-run home run to pull the Lugnuts within one run, but the Captains had a shot to get out of the inning with the lead intact. Lansing loaded the bases on three walks, one by starter Sam Hentges and two by reliever Erick Algarin. With two outs and the bags full, Algarin got Gunnar Heidt to hit a ground ball to third base, but the ball squeaked through the legs of Haggerty. Two runs scored on the error to give Lansing the lead and Max Pentecost followed with an RBI single. The Lugnuts took a 9-7 lead.

The two sides battled back and forth over the next few innings. Lake County got a run back in the third on an RBI single by Nathan Lukes, but Lansing answered in the fourth when two more Captains errors allowed the Lugnuts to score their 10^th run of the game.

Lake County had a shot to come back in the fifth, but let it slip away. The Captains put the first two men on base, but Lansing caught a break when Martin Cervenka hit a line drive to shortstop and the Lugnuts doubled Haggerty off of second. One batter later, Jose Medina singled to right and Anthony Miller, who was running on the pitch, tried to score all the way from first, but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

Lansing and Lake County traded runs in the sixth. Carl Wise hit an RBI double for the Lugnuts and the Captains answered with a pair of runs on singles by Mejia and Marabell. After the teams traded blows, Lansing took an 11-10. That lead held until the eighth when the Captains finally regained the advantage.

Krieger and Mejia started the Captains off on the right foot in the eighth with back-to-back singles and Marabell moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt. The Captains had the tying run on third and the go-ahead run on second, so Lansing opted to intentionally walk Haggerty to load the bases and set up a double play situation. Yonathan Mendoza pinch-hit for the lefty-swinging Miller so Lake County could send a switch-hitter to the plate against the southpaw Dan Lietz, but Mendoza struck out and the Captains had the bases loaded with two outs, still down by a run.

Cervenka came up to hit against Lietz in the biggest at-bat of the ballgame. The Captains' catcher had been 0-for-3 to that point, but worked the count to 3-2. On the full-count offering, Cervenka shot a single to center field, allowing Krieger to score with the tying run and Mejia to touch home with the go-ahead run. Medina followed with another two-run single to give Lake County a 14-11 lead.

Lansing threatened in the ninth against reliever Brock Hartson, who had been in the game since the fourth. Justin Atkinson singled and Heidt hit a two-out RBI triple to make it a 14-12 Captains lead. Billy Strode came out of the bullpen for the Captains and took care of the final out, getting Pentecost to ground out to third. Haggerty made a tough charging play to end the ballgame and seal the win for Lake County.

Hartson (5-2) earned his third straight winning decision. The right-hander pitched 5.2 innings and allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on five hits. Hartson walked two and struck out three. Strode picked up his first save of the season.

Lietz (4-1) suffered the loss for Lansing. He allowed four runs on five hits over 2.2 innings. Lietz struck out three and walked three.

Both starting pitchers exited early and left the game up to the bullpen. Tom Robson, the starter for Lansing, allowed seven runs on eight hits over just two innings. Hentges allowed seven runs over 2.1 innings for the Captains, but only three of them were earned because of Captains errors. Only five of the 12 runs Lake County's pitchers allowed on Wednesday were earned because of fielding miscues.

The Captains have taken two straight from Lansing, both coming from behind. Lake County will go for the sweep against the Lugnuts on Thursday night at Classic Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Individual game tickets are on sale at the Classic Park box office, online at captainsbaseball.com and by phone at 440-954-WINS (9467). Full season tickets plans, 12-, 20-, and 35-game mini ticket plans for the 2016 season are on sale now at great prices complete with several exclusive benefits. Information can be found at the Captains website www.captainsbaseball.com.