Captains comeback only to lose in ten innings 10-8

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Lake County Sentinel

Captains comeback only to lose in ten innings 10-8

BY TIM SHIRER

CAPTAINS BEAT WRITER

(EASTLAKE, OH) - The Lake County Captains and Lansing Lugnuts played game two of their four game series on Wednesday morning. The Lugnuts took game one 5-1 as the Captains were limited to only three hits. The Captains did get a respectable seven hits during the bright sun filled day but dropped game two in ten innings 10-8.

The Lugnuts got on the board early and often with runs in the first three innings. Captains starter Alex Royalty gave up a single run to the Lugnuts in the first innings, two runs in the second and two more in the third inning.

Meanwhile the Captains bats came alive as they tied the game 3-3 in the second inning. The inning began when Lansing starter Cobi John hit Jonathan Engelmann with a pitch. Cody Farhat then singled and moved Engelmann to second. Johnson then uncorked a wild pitch and both runners moved up. After Clark Scolamiero struck out Connor Smith hit a sacrifice fly to right field and Engelmann scored and Farhat moved to third base on a throwing error by Lansing right fielder Griffin Conine. Eric Rodriguez then drew a base on balls to put men on the corners. With Ike Freeman at the plate Johnson uncorked a wild pitch and Farhat crossed the plate with the Captains second run. Rodriguez moved to second base. Freeman then singled to center field and Rodriguez scored to tie the game 3-3.

After the two-run top of the third by the Lugnuts and two outs in the bottom of the inning Johnson issued a base on balls to Jose Fermin. Fermin the stole second and third base for his 19th and 20th stolen bases of the season, Engelmann stole his sixth base of the season on the same play and both runners advanced one more base when Lugnuts catcher Ryan Gold made an errant throw to third base, scoring Fermin and pulling the Captains to within one run at 5-4.

The Captains tied the game 5-5 in the bottom of the fourth inning when Scolamiero singled to lead off the inning and scored a double by Holmes.

The Lugnuts regained the lead in the fifth inning with a single run and added two more in the top of the eighth inning to increase their lead to 8-5.

The game looked over as the Captains came to bat in the bottom of the ninth. The Captains proved looks can be deceiving as they rallied for three runs in the inning to tie the game. With one out in the inning Naylor was safe on an error by the left fielder when the wind picked up and literally blew the ball away from his glow before he could catch it. Fermin and Engelmann both followed with singles, Naylor scored on the Engelmann single to pull the Captains to within two runs at 8-6. With Farhat at the plate for Lake County Lansing reliever Josh Hiatt unleashed a wild pitch moving both Fermin and Engelmann up a base each to second and third base. Farhat then drew a base on balls to load the base. Scolamiero then grounded out to second base and Fermin scored the Captains seventh run. Finally, Connor Smith brought the Captains all the way back when he reached on an infield single to the third baseman and Engelmann trotted home tying the game 8-8. Unfortunately, the Captains could not get the winning run home and the game proceeded to extra innings.

The Lugnuts struck twice in the 10th inning. Their first run came courtesy of the Rob Manfred runner (a runner starts the inning at second base in extra innings)

The Captains were not able to score in the bottom of the tenth inning going down 1-2-3 in the inning.

Lansing reliever Marcus Reyes picked up the win for the Lugnuts. Reyes pitched 1.1 innings to improve to 6-1 with a 2.37 ERA. Kellen Rholl took the loss for the Captains in relief. Rholl went one inning allowing two runs, one earned on three hits. Rholl also issued one base on balls and struck out one Lugnut hitter. With the loss Rholl falls to 1-3 with a 1.15 ERA.

The Captains and Lugnuts will continue the series on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. Righthander Eric Pardinho will be on the mound for the Lugnuts. Pardinho is 1-1 with a 1.88 ERA. Zach Draper will take the hill for the Captains. Draper, a lefty is 6-2 with a 2.63 ERA.