One big inning burns Captains

(Eastlake, OH) - Everything went right for the Lake County Captains (6-10, 35-51) on Friday night, except for one inning. The West Michigan Whitecaps (9-7, 45-41) scored six runs on six hits in the top of the fourth inning to beat the Captains in the opening game of a four-game series at Classic Park, 6-2.
Lake County took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning. With one out and nobody aboard, Jesse Berardi turned on a pitch by Whitecaps starter Brad Bass and pulled a solo home run over the right field wall to give the Captains a 1-0 advantage.

Captains starter Jean Carlos Mejía cruised through the first three innings. The right-hander allowed just one hit, a second-inning single by Reynaldo Rivera, and faced the minimum thanks to a double play. In the fourth, however, West Michigan exploded.
The Whitecaps' rally started with a one-out single by Brady Policelli. Mejia then walked Brock Deatherage to put runners on first and second. Rivera came up next and lined a base hit down the right field line. Policelli and Deatherage scored easily and Rivera raced to third with a two-run triple to put the Whitecaps on top. Mejia struck out Jordan Pearce for out number two, but the Whitecaps kept swinging away. Kody Clements extended the lead to 3-1 with an RBI single. After Clemens stole second, the Whitecaps hit three straight RBI doubles. Joey Morgan, Cam Warner and Anthony Pereira each knocked in runs with two-base hits to give West Michigan a 6-1 lead. The Whitecaps brought 10 men to the plate in the inning and scored six runs on a triple, three doubles, two singles and a walk.
Lake County scored one final run in the fourth inning. Nolan Jones led off with a walk, stole second and moved to third when Jose Vicente reached on a strikeout-wild pitch. Ulysses Cantu then pulled a grounder down the third base line for an RBI double. Jones scored to cut West Michigan's lead to 6-2, but Bass stranded two in scoring position with a strikeout to end the inning.
Both teams pitched well down the stretch and put up zeroes. Mejia set down the final seven men he faced and Felix Tati blanked West Michigan over three innings of relief. He was helped out by catcher Jonathan Laureano who threw out both Pereira and Garrett McCain attempting to steal second in the seventh. Both had reached on walks.
The Captains put forth modest threats after the fourth, but came up empty. Berardi, who went 3-for-4 to lead the Captains' offense, knocked a one-out single in the fifth and stole second, but was stranded there. Cantu walked to lead off the seventh and Tyler Friis doubled with one out, but reliever Johan Belisario got a grounder back to the mound and a bouncer to shortstop to leave men on second and third. After Belisario's perfect eighth, Billy Lescher pitched a one-two-three ninth to shut down the Captains and seal a win for West Michigan.
Bass (5-5) picked up the win. He pitched five strong innings, holding the Captains to two runs on five hits. Bass struck out seven and walked one.
Mejia (1-3) took the loss. The Captains' starter pitched six innings and allowed six runs on seven hits. He struck out six and walked one. In the five frames other than the fourth, Mejia blanked West Michigan and allowed one hit.
The Captains lost the first game of this four-game series and the Whitecaps extended their winning streak to four games. Lake County faces West Michigan again on Saturday night at Classic Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
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.