Lake County Sentinel
Captains comeback with thrilling ninth inning, top Whitecaps 2-1
BY TIM SHIRER
CAPTAINS BEAT WRITER
(EASTLAKE, OH) - Monday night the Lake County Captains opened a four-game series with the visiting West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers). Fortunately, for the 1,135 in attendance the Captains won a walk off passed ball to humiliate the Whitecaps 2-1 at Classic Park.
The Whitecaps struck first with a single run in the second inning off Captains starter Juan Hillman. Hillman did not help his cause as he walked the leadoff batter Jordan Pearce. Then with Joey Morgan at the plate, Hillman attempted to pick off Pearce at first when he threw the ball away and Pearce ended up at third base. After Hillman retired Morgan on strikes, Ignacio Valdez grounded out ant Pearce crossed home plate with the first run of the game, giving the Whitecaps a 1-0 lead. The run was unearned.
The Captains bats finally showed up in the ninth inning when after thinking he walked on the two previous pitches Austen Wade singled to right field and glared back at the home plate umpire as he ran to first base. At that point West Michigan reliever Max Green was pulled from the game and replaced by John Hayes. Hayes retired the first batter “The President” Ulysses Cantu for the first out of the inning. Todd Isaacs then singled, and Wade advanced to second base. Tyler Friis then doubled, scoring Wade and moving Isaacs to third base. The Whitecaps then chose to intentionally walk Ernie Clement to load the bases. Then the end came for Hayes and the Whitecaps as catcher Joey Morgan was charged with a passed ball right off his glove and Isaacs crossed home plate with the winning run.
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Captains reliever Gregori Vasquez picked up the win with four shut out inning. Vasquez, allowed just two hits and one base on balls, while striking out five Whitecaps batters. With the win “Vasky” improves to 1-0 with a 1.06 ERA. West Michigan reliever John Hayes took the loss. Hayes pitched one third of an inning allowing the winning run, which was unearned. With the loss Hayes falls to 0-2 with a 0.00 ERA. Captains starter Juan Hillman pitched very nicely in the no-decision. The lefty went five innings allowing only one unearned run on one hit, two base on balls and struck out six Whitecaps.
The Captains and Whitecaps will play game two of the four game series on Tuesday night. Garett King will be on the mound for the Whitecaps. King, a righty is 0-0 with a 1.59 ERA. Lefty Francisco Perez will make the start for the Captains. Perez, is 0-0 with a 5.19 ERA.
tshirer@lakecountysentinel.com or follow Tim on Twitter @IndiansTim Check out our IndiansNation fan Page
POSTED 04/23/2018 21:49
Photo by Phillip Goth
