Captains slay Dragons in doubleheader sweep

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Captains slay Dragons in doubleheader sweep

BY TIM SHIRER

CAPTAINS BEAT WRITER

(EASTLAKE, OH) – The Lake County Captains entered Thursday’s double header against the visiting Dayton Dragons losers of seven straight games. Even at the High-A level of professional baseball it’s hard to lose both ends of a double header, this was the Captains saving grace as they took game one 6-3 to snap their skid. Game two was a pitchers duel that was not decided until bottom of the seventh when they walked off with the 1-0 win.

The Dragons got on the scoreboard early in game one with a single run in the first inning. The first two batters Jacob Hurtubise and Michael Siani singled. Quincy McAfee struck out. Quin Cotton then grounded into a fielder’s choice to the third baseman he retired Siani at second base while Cotton was safe at first and Hurtubise came home to score giving the Dragons a 1-0.

Lake County tied the game in the bottom of the third inning when Aaron Bracho belted his third home run of the season, a solo shot onto the grass beyond the right field fence.

The Dragons regained the lead in the fifth inning when with one out Captain’s starter, lefty Logan Allen issued a walk to Eric Yang. Yang was retired on a ground ball by Miguel Hernandez, but Hernandez was safe at first. Hernandez then rode home on a home run by the next batter Allen faced Francisco Urbaez blasted a home run, his second over the right center field wall to put the Dragons on top 3-1.

The lead did not last long as the Captains struck for three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning when Will Brennan blasted a three-run home run on to the outfield grass in right center field giving the Captains what ended up being the final 6-3. The home run was giving up by Dayton reliever Sam Hellinger. Hellinger relieved Pedro Garcia who had started the inning and retired two hitters, but also issued two base on balls. Garcia ended up taking the loss in the game. With the loss Garcia fell to 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA.

Allen picked up the win for Lake County and improved to 3-0 with a 1.63 ERA. Allen went six innings, allowing the three runs, all earned on five hits one base on balls and eight strike outs. Nic Enright picked up his first save of the season pitching the final inning.

Game two was a relatively quiet affair, a pitcher’s duel through the first five innings. The Captains were held hitless until one out in the fifth inning when Victor Nova singled to left field off Dayton starter Eduardo Salazar. Salazar a right hander went six innings allowing just the one hit, issued five base on balls and struck out three.

Dayton’s offense was not much more successful through six innings as they managed only two hits. One hit off Captain’s starter Juan Zapata in five and two thirds innings and then a single off Tim Herrin who relieved Zapata with two outs in the sixth.

The Captains finally ended all the suspense in the bottom of the seventh inning when Jonathan Englemann drew a walk to lead off the inning against Dragon’s reliever Andy Fisher who entered the game to start the inning in relief of Salazar. Nova once again singled, at this point the Captains had two hits in the game and both belonged to Nova putting runners at first and second. After pinch hitter Jose Tena struck out, Will Brennan also pinch hitting came to the plate and smacked a one ball two strike pitch deep to right field, the ball bounced off the fence for a double and Englemann scored the only run of the game to give the Captains the 1-0 win.

Herrin picked up the win for Captains in relief. With the win Herrin improves to 2-1 with a 4.41 ERA. Fisher took the loss for the Dragons and falls to 0-1 with an 18.00 ERA.

The Captains and Dragons will play game four of the six game series on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. Righthander Noah Davis will be on the mound for the Dragons. Davis is 0-3 with a 4.01 ERA. Righty Tanner Burns will tow the rubber for the Captains. Burns is 0-2 with a 4.08 ERA.