(Eastlake, OH) - Shane McCarthy had a stellar return from the Injured List in a game that was otherwise forgettable for the Lake County Captains (29-30, 69-59). McCarthy struck out a career-high 10 batters over just 3.1 innings, but the Bowling Green Hot Rods (36-23, 75-54) overcame a 4-0 deficit
(Eastlake, OH) - Shane McCarthy had a stellar return from the Injured List in a game that was otherwise forgettable for the Lake County Captains (29-30, 69-59). McCarthy struck out a career-high 10 batters over just 3.1 innings, but the Bowling Green Hot Rods (36-23, 75-54) overcame a 4-0 deficit to score 16 unanswered runs and beat the Captains, 16-4, on Thursday night at Classic Park.
McCarthy got rolling early. After a leadoff single by Ford Proctor on the first pitch of the ballgame, McCarthy turned around and struck out six men in a row, all swinging. After hitting Seaver Whalen with a pitch to begin the third, McCarthy struck out three in a row again to tie his career-high.
The Captains gave McCarthy run support with two big swings in the second inning. Jonathan Engelmann led off the frame with a homer into the left field bleachers and Eric Rodriguez planted a three-run shot into those same bleachers later in the inning to give the Captains a 4-0 lead.
McCarthy encountered trouble early in the fourth when Jonathan Aranda singled and Jordan Qsar doubled. A passed ball scored Aranda to put the Hot Rods on the board, but McCarthy came back and struck out his former teammate, Ruben Cardenas, looking for the first out of the frame. McCarthy was pulled following the 10th punch-out. All 10 of his outs came on strikeouts across 3.1 innings.
Zach Draper relieved McCarthy. The lefty walked Chris Betts, gave up an RBI single to Grant Witherspoon and walked Whalen to load the bases. He then issued a bases-loaded walk to Erik Ostberg that cut the Captains' lead to 4-3, as Betts scored. Proctor came up next and bounced out to second, but Witherspoon scored from third to tie the game. A throwing error by third baseman Makesiondon Kelkboom on a grounder by Nick Schnell scored two more, giving the Hot Rods a 6-4 lead and capping a six-run fourth inning.
Bowling Green tacked on three more runs in the sixth against reliever Brendan Meyer . Proctor plated a run with a single and Aranda sent two home with a double to push the Hot Rods' lead to 9-4.
The eighth brought another six-run inning for Bowling Green, including a homer by the former Captain. A single by Aranda scored a run, a wild pitch by Tim Herrin brought home another and a passed ball by Rodriguez made it a three-run frame. Cardenas then launched a three-run shot down the left field line of his old ballpark. The homer off of Kyle Marman ballooned Bowling Green's lead to 15-4. Schnell added a run in the ninth with an RBI single off of Marman to make it 16-4.
Draper (0-1) took the loss for Lake County. The left-hander pitched 1/3 of an inning and allowed four runs, two earned, on one hit and three walks. He did not record a strikeout.
Hogan (6-3) picked up the win. Like McCarthy, Hogan set a career-high with 10 K's. The right-hander worked six innings and allowed four runs on six hits with no walks. Reliever Nick Sprengel pitched three shutout innings with two hits, one walk and six strikeouts to notch his first save of the year.
After losing the first two games of their series with Bowling Green, the Captains will try to salvage the series finale on Friday night. First pitch at Classic Park is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Individual game tickets for all Captains games are on sale at the Classic Park box office, online at captainsbaseball.com and by phone at 440-954-WINS (9467). Mini ticket plans for the 2019 season are still available for great prices complete with several exclusive benefits. Information can be found at the Captains website www.captainsbaseball.com.
