Stellar pitching, four-run 10th propel Captains

(Bowling Green, KY) - The Lake County Captains (33-32, 73-61) got a trio of terrific pitching performances and four key runs in the 10^th inning to defeat the Bowling Green Hot Rods (39-25, 78-56) on Wednesday and extend their winning streak to four games. Lake County opened a three-game series at Bowling Green Ballpark with a 5-1 win in 10 innings.

The Captains grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning, thanks to a two-out rally. Jose Fermin singled off of Hot Rods starter Matthew Liberatore and then the runner swiped second. When the throw from catcher Roberto Alvarez skipped into centerfield, Fermin scampered to his feet and took third base. Jonathan Engelmann came up next and laced a double to left-centerfield that plated Fermin with the game's first run.
Captains starter Matt Turner spun six strong innings and allowed just one run. He held the Hot Rods scoreless up until the fourth, when Ruben Cardenas keyed a brief rally that helped Bowling Green tie the score. Cardenas doubled with one out and, two batters later, scored on an RBI single by Seaver Whalen to even the game at 1-1.
Thomas Ponticelli helped keep the game tied. The right-hander pitched two scoreless innings out of the Captains' bullpen. On the flip side, Hot Rods right-hander Caleb Sampen relieved Liberatore in the fifth and pitched three scoreless frames of his own. Bowling Green's Chris Muller kept the Captains off the scoreboard in the eighth and ninth, while Jake Miednik blanked the Hot Rods in the ninth to send the game to extra innings.
The Captains only tallied one hit in the 10^th, but it was enough to pull them in front and add some insurance. Miguel Jerez was due to start the inning on second as the free runner, but the Captains called on Clark Scolamiero to pinch run. Muller then walked Raynel Delgado and, after striking out Daniel Schneemann , walked Ulysses Cantu to load the bases. That brought up Quentin Holmes , who hit a hot smash to third that went through Osmy Gregorio for an error. Both Scolamiero and Delgado scored to give the Captains a 3-1 lead. Two batters later, Fermin doubled home Cantu and Holmes to push the lead to 5-1.
Miednik sealed the win in the 10^th, striking out two and getting a ground out at first to leave Whalen, the free runner, stranded on second. Miednik (3-1) picked up the win in relief with five strikeouts and just one hit allowed across two scoreless innings.
Muller (2-5) suffered the loss for Bowling Green. The right-hander worked three innings and allowed four unearned runs on two hits. He struck out five and walked two.
The Captains have won four straight and will try to tie a season high winning streak on Thursday night. First pitch at Bowling Green Ballpark is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. ET.
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.