Captains pound Lugnuts 11-3

Home

Community Information

Editorial

News Archives

Sports

Lake County Sentinel

Captains pound Lugnuts 11-3

BY TIM SHIRER

CAPTAINS BEAT WRITER

(EASTLAKE, OH) - After a walk off win on Tuesday night the Lake County Captains got right back into action on Wednesday with a day game against the Lansing Lugnuts. It was game two of their three game series. The Captains prevailed in the one-sided slugfest 11-3 to send the 3,828 fans in attendance at Classic Park home happy.

The Lugnuts got on the board first in the third inning, with a pair of home runs. The first came off the bat of Ryan Noda, it was a solo shot and his seventh of the season. The second blast of the inning came off the bat of Brock Lundquist, there was one man on base, the home run was his 11th of the season and gave the Lugnuts a 3-0 lead.

The Captains tied the game with a three-run bottom of the fourth inning. Ernie Clement singled to lead off the inning and moved to second base on a wild pitch by Lansing starting pitcher Matthew Gunther. Tyler Friis then drew a base on balls to put men on first and second. Oscar Gonzalez then smoked a doubled down the right field line and Clement crossed the plate with the Captains first run. With Will Benson at the plate Gunther uncorked another wild pitch and Friis scored pulling Lake County to within one run at 3-2. Finally, one batter later Jonathan Laureano hit a sacrifice fly to right field and Gonzalez trotted home to tie the game at 3-3.

The Captains took the lead in the fifth inning with three runs. The runs came when with one out Jose Medina singled. Jesse Berardi was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Clement then hit a routine fly ball to Lansing left fielder Norberto Obeso and he simply dropped the ball, Medina scored, Berardi moved to second and Clement was safe at first. With Friis at the plate Gunther attempted to pick off Berardi at second base and threw the ball into center field. Berardi and Clement both moved up a base to second and third. Gunther’s troubles continued when he uncorked his third wild pitch of the game, Berardi came home and Clement moved to third. Gunther then walked Friis on the next pitch putting men on the corners for Gonzalez. Gunther did not want to leave Gonzalez out of the party, so he threw a wild pitch to him and Friis moved to second base. After Gonzalez popped up in foul territory to the catcher Will Benson came up and reached base on a fielding error by Lansing first baseman Mark Grudzielanek, Clement scored the Captains third run of the inning and sixth of the game to extend their lead to 6-3. The inning and day ended mercifully for Gunther on that play as Friis also tried to score and was thrown out between third base and home.

With the exit of Gunther things did not get better for the Lugnuts as the Captains hitters greeted Lugnuts reliever Kyle Weatherly rudely. The Captains tattooed Weatherly for five runs on six hits in the sixth inning to blow the game open 11-3. The sixth was Weatherly’s only inning of work.

Nick Gallagher picked up the win in relief for the Captains. Gallagher relieved John Carlos Mejia with two outs in the fourth inning. Mejia gave up three runs all earned on seven hits, he issued two base on balls and struck out five Lugnuts batters. Gallagher went three innings allowing one hit and three base on balls while striking out two batters. With the win Gallagher improves to 1-2 with a 4.04 ERA. Gunther took the loss for the Lugnuts. Gunther went five innings allowing six runs, four were earned on four hits and he also issued three base on balls and struck out two Captains along with the four wild pitches. With the loss Gunther falls to 0-3 with a 4.76 ERA.

With the win the Captains have won six of their last nine contests and are in seventh place in the Eastern Division of the Midwest League.

The Lugnuts and Captains will finish the series at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday night. Maverik Buffo will be on the hill for the Lugnuts. Buffo, a righty is 7-2 with a 4.95 ERA. Kirk McCarty will take the mound for Lake County. McCarty, is 1-5 with a 6.44 ERA.