Lake County Sentinel
Captains top Lugnuts with 7-6 walk off win
BY TIM SHIRER
CAPTAINS BEAT WRITER
The Lake County Captains returned home on Tuesday night to start a six game home stand and a three game series with the Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto Blue Jays). The Captains entered the game in third place in the Midwest League Eastern Division, one and a half games behind the first Place South Bend Cubs and a half game behind the second place West Michigan Whitecaps. The top two teams clinch a playoff berth when the first half ends on June 19. The Captains helped their chances as they stopped the Lugnuts 7-6 on a walk off sacrifice fly by Willi Castro in front of 1,356 at Classic Park.
The Captains got on the board early and often. The home team put their first two runs of the game on the board in the first inning. They extended the lead to 4-0 when put two more runs on the board in the third inning.
The Lugnuts began their comeback in the top of the fourth inning when they put two runs on the board to cut the lead in half to 4-2. Lansing tied the game in the top of the sixth with two more runs.
Lake County regained the lead in the sixth inning with a single run on a home run by Connor Marabell his second of the game and fourth of the season.
The Lugnuts would not go away as they scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to take a 6-5 lead.
The ninth inning came and the Lugnuts brought in their All-Star closer Dusty Isaacs. The Captains were not phased as they went right to work. Sam Haggerty drew a base on balls to lead off the inning. Anthony Miller then reached on a fielding error and the Captains had runners on first and second as Jose Medina entered the game and pinch ran for Miller. After Isaacs retired Silento Sayles on strikes Nathan Lukes doubled to center field and Haggerty scored the tying run. One batter later Castro hit the sacrifice fly to deep center field and the game ended as Medina crossed the plate with the winning run for Lake County.
Kieran Lovegrove picked up the win for Lake County as he pitched a scoreless ninth inning and improves to 2-2 with a 4.88 ERA. Isaacs is tagged with his third blown save and the loss as he falls to 1-2 on the year with a 1.38 ERA.
The West Michigan Whitecaps defeated the Great Lakes Loons 5-0 on Tuesday night to remain a half-game ahead of the Captains in second place in the Midwest League Eastern Division.
The Lugnuts and Captains will play game two of the three game series on Wednesday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. Righty Tom Robson will be on the mound for the Lugnuts. Robson is 1-2 with a 6.48 ERA. Sam Hentges will tow the rubber for the Captains. Hentges is 1-4 with a 6.30 ERA..
tshirer@lakecountysentinel.com or follow Tim on Twitter @IndiansTim Check out our IndiansNation fan page
POSTED 06/07/2016 22:09
