Oviedo helps Captains snap skid

(Midland, MI) - Luis Oviedo made his Midwest League debut on Monday night and played the roll of stopper for the Lake County Captains (18-25, 47-66). The 19-year old right-hander held the Great Lakes Loons (17-27, 41-71) scoreless over five innings and helped Lake County snap a season-long seven-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory at Dow Diamond.
Oviedo exhibited some control troubles, but was able to work around it. Despite tying a career-high with four walks, the Indians' #10 prospect kept the Loons from crossing home plate. In the first, Oviedo picked off Jacob Amaya at first after putting him aboard with a one-out walk. The right-hander struck out the first two men in the second, walked the next two and escaped with a ground out. Oviedo then walked Amaya with one out in the third, but shortstop Elvis Perez started a sharply-turned 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Oviedo did not walk another batter after the third.

The Captains gave Oviedo a couple of early runs in the third inning. Joshua Rolette opened the third inning by hammering a 3-1 pitch by Loons starter Gerardo Carrillo over the left field wall. After Rolette's opposite-field home run gave Lake County a 1-0 lead, Todd Isaacs smoked a double and later scored when Gabriel Mejia chopped a grounder over Miguel Vargas' head at third for an RBI single to push the lead to 2-0.
After Oviedo exited, Great Lakes cut the Captains' lead to one run with the help of a defensive miscue. With one out in the sixth, Devin Mann singled to right against reliever Felix Tati. Will Benson cut over from right to try to make the catch, but pulled up short and the ball skipped past him. Mann raced to third on the two-base error and scored when Brock Carpenter grounded out to second base, trimming the Captains' lead to 2-1.
The Captains added a run in the seventh against right-hander Melvin Jimenez and pushed the lead to 3-1. Mejia walked with two outs and swiped second. Jesse Berardi followed by lining a ball to the gap in right-center. Romer Cuadrado hustled over from right and dove, but the ball evaded his glove and skipped to the fence. Mejia scored and Berardi made it to third with an RBI triple.
Benson provided an insurance run in the eighth with an opposite-field blast off of lefty Darien Nunez. With one out and nobody on, Benson drove a 2-0 pitch over the left field wall for his team-leading 17^th long ball of the year to extend the Captains' advantage to 4-1.
The Loons threatened in the ninth and brought the tying run to the plate, but Tati was able to close the door and seal the win. Cuadrado led off with a single and Pitre followed with a double to put men on second and third. Tati struck out Chris Roller, but Drew Avans lifted a fly ball to centerfield and Cuadrado scored from third on the sacrifice fly. Tati then got Amaya to fly out to Benson in right for the final out of the game.
Oviedo (1-0) earned the win in his Captains debut. The teenager held the Loons scoreless over five innings and surrendered just two hits. He struck out four and walked four.
Tati picked up his second save of the year. The right-hander pitched four innings in relief and gave up two runs - one earned - on five hits. He struck out three and walked two.
Carrillo (0-1) took the loss. The Loons' starter pitched five innings and allowed two runs on eight hits. He struck out three and walked one.
Lake County put a season-long seven-game losing streak to bed and avoided a sweep in the three-game series against the Loons. After a day off on Tuesday, the Captains return to action on Wednesday at Classic Park with the start of a three-game series against the Fort Wayne TinCaps. 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-WINS (9467). Affordable ticket packages and group party and picnic options are available now.