Eastlake, OH- The Lake County Captains (37-33) were back at it Wednesday again, against the Lansing Lugnuts (25-45). RHP Aaron Davenport (2-4, 3.45 ERA) and his majestic flowing locks started for the Captains, while Stevie Emanuels (3-7, 5.06 ERA) was on the mound for the Lugnuts. The Captains were looking to keep some momentum going as they pick up the victory on Tuesday.
The first shot was fired in the top of the 1st after Lugnuts SS Drew Swift and LF Gabriel Maciel hit back to back singles putting runners on the corners. 3B Jack Winkler hit into a fielders choice that scored Swift from 3rd base and giving Lansing a 1-0 lead early in the game. Winkler was then picked off by Davenport to send the game into the bottom of the 1st.
The Captains fought right back in the bottom of the 1st. 3B Angel Martinez started off the inning with a single. The next three Captains, 1B Joe Naranjo, RF Alexfri Planez, and CF Petey Halpin all followed suit each hitting a single giving Lake County a 2-1 lead. SS Milan Tolentino advanced the runners to 2nd and 3rd on a ground out. LF Connor Kokx fought at the plate, but struck out. 2B Aaron Bracho was hit by pitch on the very first offering by Emanuels, loading the bases for C Mike Amditis. Amditis continued the hit parade with a single to left scoring Planez and Halpin. DH Korey Holland Struck out to end the inning, but not before the Captains batted through the order and taking the lead 4-1.
The Lugnuts would not be denied however. The first batter in the top of the 2nd was RF Lawrence Butler, who on the second pitch of the inning took Davenport deep to left for a solo home run cutting into the lead 4-2. Davenport started to struggle as C Jared McDonald singled, and Davenport walked the next two batters to load the bases with no outs. After a fly out, SS Drew Swift singled scoring McDonald. CF Denzel Clarke scored on a ground out by LF Gabriel Maciel. 1B Tyler Soderstrom hit his 16 double scoring 2 runs, his 46 and 47th RBI's of the season. 3B Jack Winkler mercifully ended the inning with a ground out, but the damage was done with Lansing regaining the lead 6-4.
The Captains started the bottom of two with Martinez and Naranjo getting walked by Emanuels. Then two straight fielders choices allowed Martinez to score from 3rd. that was all the offense the Captains could muster, but cut in the deficit and only trailed by 1 with a score of 6-5.
Captains 2B Aaron Bracho started the bottom of the 3rd with a solo home run just over the right field wall on a 2-2 pitch that tied up the game at 6-6. C Mike Amditis singled and then advanced to second on a wild pitch by Emanuels to 3B Angel Martinez. After a mound visit to Emanuels by Lugnuts pitching coach , Martinez blasted a 2 run homer to right, reclaiming the lead 8-2. Emanuels was pulled right after for RHP Joe DeMers (3-2, 5.68 ERA). Joe Naranjo singled up the middle, then again advanced to second on wild pitch to Alexfri Planez. Planez grounded out bringing Naranjo to third with CF Petey Halpin coming up. Halpin grounded to first ending the inning, leaving Naranjo stranded at third.
Davenport had 2 out in the top of the 4th, when Lugnuts LF Gabriel Maciel singled to left. Next up was the scorching hot Tyler Soderstrom who absolutely blasted a 2 run home to left center. His 13th home run on the season and 3rd and 4th RBI's of the game. The score was tied 8-8 heading into the bottom of the 4th.
The offense just kept on coming in the bottom on the 4th for the Captains. Milan Tolentino doubled to start the inning. LF Connor Kokx beat out the throw to first on a bunt, advancing Tolentino to third. A steal by Kokx had runners on second and third. 2B Aaron Bracho hit a sac fly scoring Tolentino. DeMers then balked allowing Kokx to score from third. The inning ended with the Captains scoring 2 more runs and leading 10-8.
Alaska Abney (2-1, 4.74 ERA) relieved Davenport in the top of the 5th inning. after walking the first batter he got the next three out to close the inning with no runs scored, in this wild game that had been all offense up to this point.
Bottom of the 6th saw the inning started off with a double by Captains CF Petey Halpin. Milan Tolentino then singled. With runners on the corners Tolentino stole second base. Next up LF Connor Kokx hit a bloop single to center scoring Halpin. Aaron Bracho then hit his second sacrifice fly of the game bring in Tolentino and extending the lead to 12-8.
Lugnuts RF Lawrence Butler hit a triple in the top of the 7th into the Captains pitching area. He was then driven in on a ground out by C Jared McDonald. it was the only run scored in the inning but it cut into the Captains lead with the score 12-9 going into the 7th inning stretch.
In the bottom of the 8th Captains SS Milan Tolentino started off the inning with a double, his second of the day and third overall hit. Next up LF Connor Kokx rocketed a 2 run home run into left field bleachers giving the Captains a 14-9 lead.
The Lugnuts scored one in the top of the 9th, but that was all as Trey Benton got the final Strike out to end the game.
What a wild game today at Classic park as the Captains pick up the win 14-10 in an absolute slugfest. The Captains improve to 38-33 on the year and drop the Lugnuts to 25-46. Lake County will be back at it again tomorrow as Mason Hickman (2-4, 4.50 ERA) takes the mound against Lansing's Joey Estes (0-4, 5.31 ERA). Start time is 7:00 PM again at Classic park.
Writers Note: I want to give a special congratulations to the Lansing Lugnuts play by play caller Jesse Goldberg-Strassler. He was called up to big leagues for the Oakland A's series against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway park on June 14th, 15th, and 16th and did a superb job. I'm sure it won't be long until we see him calling the Majors on a regular basis.
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