Lake County Sentinel
Captains fall to the Loons in 10 innings 3-2
BY TIM SHIRER
CAPTAINS BEAT WRITER
Wednesday Wednesday night the Lake County Captains and Great Lakes Loons played the rubber game of their three-game series. The Loons took the opener and the Captains took game two on Tuesday night. The visitors end up taking the series as the Captains fell to the Loons 3-2 in 10 innings.
The Loons got on the scoreboard first in the third inning when Captains starting pitcher Aaron Civale gave up a two out double Zach McKinstry. Civale then struck out Moises Perez, but Captains catcher Li-Jen Chu failed to hold on to the third strike and Perez was safe at first extending the inning. McKinstry moved to third on the dropped third strike, Chu was charged with a passed ball. Carlos Rincon then singled and McKinstry scored the first run of the game. The run was unearned and the Loons led 1-0.
The Captains tied the game 1-1 when in the bottom of the fourth they put together their own two out rally. After the first two hitters were retired by Great Lakes starter Jordan Sheffield (brother of former Captain Justus Sheffield) Captains left fielder Todd Isaacs drew a base on balls. Then Emmanuel Tapia came to the plate and doubled to left field. scoring Isaacs. The RBI by Tapia was his second of the season.
Great Lake regained the lead in the top of the seventh inning with another two-out rally. After Michael Letkewicz had retired the first two loons and then Shakir Albert doubled to left field, but ended up at third base when Isaacs booted the ball around. McKinstry then came to the plate and singled to center field driving home Albert giving the Loons back the lead at 2-1.
The Captains respond in their last chance in the bottom of the ninth innings tying the game 2-2 when Jorma Rodriguez had a one out single to right field off Loons reliever Vinny Santarsiero. Isaac then followed by drawing a base on balls to put men at first and second. After Tapia flew out to center Chu came to the plate and singled to center field, scoring Rodriguez with the game tying run.
But the Captains bullpen, which has been solid in the young season could not get the job done in the 10th inning aided by an error charged to Captains second baseman Erlin Cerda which allowed Oneil Cruz to reach base on a ground ball to lead off the inning. Cruz then stole second base, his fourth theft of the young season. Captains reliever Ryder Ryan then struck out Cody Thomas, but then allowed a single to Steve Berman and Cruz crossed the plate with what turned out to be the winning run, giving Great Lake a 3-2 lead.
Ryan took the loss for the Captains pitching two innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit, he issued one base on balls and struck out three Loons. With the loss, Ryan is 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA. Vinny Santarsiero picked up the win in relief for Great Lakes. Santarsiero went two innings allowing one run, it was earned on three hits and issued one base on balls. With the win Santarsiero improves to 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA.
POSTED 04/12/2017 22:30
Photo by Greg Goth
Lake County Captains left fielder Conner Capel