Captains shut down by Lugnuts 8-1

Home

Community Information

Editorial

News Archives

Sports

Lake County Sentinel

Captains shut down by Lugnuts 8-1

BY TIM SHIRER

CAPTAINS BEAT WRITER

(EASTLAKE, OH) - The Lake County Captains returned home on Saturday for a three-game set with the Lansing Lugnuts. Former Cleveland Indians great Kenny Lofton was in attendance and had a VIP meet and greet fans and threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Unfortunately, that was basically the last positive event of the night as the Lugnuts pounded the Captains 8-1.

The Lugnuts got on the board early and never let up as they scored one run in the first inning, added another run in the second inning and then the big five run third inning to give them a 7-1 advantage.

Juan Mota made the start for Lake County and didn’t get out of the second inning. Mota went two plus innings allowing seven runs, six earned on nine hits, including two home runs one by Griffin Conine that had an exit velocity of 108 mph and landed 422 feet from home plate, it was his tenth of the season and. The second home run came off the bat of Johnny Aiello his second of the season. Mota also issued one base on balls and struck out one Lugnuts hitter. Mota took the loss and falls to 2-6 with a 5.69 ERA.

The Captains put their only run on the board in the second inning off Lugnuts starter Troy Watson. Watson a righty issued a base on balls to Ruben Cardenas to lead off the inning. After Hosea Nelson lined out to the centerfielder Jonathan Engelmann singled center field and Cardenas moved to third. Daniel Schneemann then grounded out to the shortstop for the second out of the inning and Cardenas trotted home with the Captains lone run of the night.

Watson picked up the win for the Lugnuts. The righthander went six innings allowing just the one run on four hits, he issued one base on balls and struck out four Captains. With the win Watson improves to 3-2 with a 4.81 ERA.

If there was a positive in the game for Lake County, it was the bullpen. The bullpen has been strong all year and tonight was no exception as they went seven strong innings and allowed just one run, it was earned on two hits. The pen issued one base on balls and struck out eight Lugnuts.

The Captains and Lugnuts will play game two of the three game series on Sunday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. Cobi Johnson will be on the mound for the Lugnuts. Johnson a righty is 2-6 with a 4.95 ERA. Righthander Thomas Ponticelli will be on the mound for the Captains. Ponticelli is 3-2 with a 5.52 ERA.