Captains pounded 9-2 after long weather delay

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Lake County Sentinel

Captains pounded 9-2 after long weather delay

BY TIM SHIRER

CAPTAINS BEAT WRITER

(EASTLAKE, OH) – The Lake County Captains and West Michigan Whitecaps were scheduled to play game five of their six game series on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. at Classic Park. That did not happen. Around 6:15 p.m. a large rain cell suddenly passed over Classic Park dumping large amounts of rain on the uncovered field. The rain was so severe and sudden that the Captains turf crew and front office personnel could not get the tarp to cover the field 100%, only about 50% of the infield was covered, the third base and shortstop area took the most rain as did the first and third base line. One saving grace was that the pitcher’s mound and home plate area was covered. After a lot of field dry, brooms and squeegees and manpower first pitch happened at 9:33 ending a 2:33 minute rain delay. Apparently, all the Whitecaps needed to stop their four game losing streak was a nice long rain delay as they pounded the Captains 9-2.

Captains starting pitcher Erick Mock, a righthander might have wished the game never began as things did not go well for him early. After hitting Bryant Packard, the first batter of the game he got Trei Cruz to fly out to left field. He then issued a base on balls to Parker Meadows, younger brother of Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Austin Meadows. Daniel Cabrera followed with a double to center field and Packard scored the Whitecaps first run. Eliezer Alfonzo (a late substitution for Cooper Johnson the original starting catcher who was not feeling well just prior to the game) hit a sacrifice fly to left field and Cruz tagged and scored from third base giving the Whitecaps a 2-0 lead. Mock was able to retire the next batter Rey Rivera on strikes to end the inning.

The Whitecaps added to their lead in the third inning with three more runs. The first three batters of the inning Cruz, Meadows and Cabrera reached base. Cruz via a base on balls, Meadows and Cabrera both singled. Alfonzo then hit a line drive to the first baseman Joe Naranjo, and he stepped on first recording the double play. But Mock could not handle prosperity as he gave up a 370-foot home run to Rivera to give the Whitecaps a 5-0 advantage. Mock retired the final batter of the inning Wenceel Perez on a ground ball.

The Captains got on the board in the bottom of the third inning when Daniel Schneemann blasted his second home run, a solo shot 393 over the right field to pull the Captains to within five runs at 5-1.

Things did not get any better for Mock in the fourth inning as he issued a one out walk to Corey Joyce. Joyce then stole second, his fifth theft of the season. Joyce came home when Packard smacked a 2-2 pitch to left field it ricocheted off Schneemann’s knee for a double, the Whitecaps led 6-1. The night was over for Mock, but the scoring in the inning was not. After Tim Herrin replaced Mock, he threw a wild pitch to move Packard to third base. Cruz then doubled to center field off the wall to drive home Packard with the Whitecaps seventh run of the night. Meadows then reached first base when Naranjo failed to scoop a ball at first base and was charged with an error moving Cruz to third base. Cabrera then drew a base on balls loading the bases for Alfonzo who reached base on an error by Captains second baseman Aaron Bracho which allowed two runs to score increasing the Whitecaps lead to 9-1. Herrin and the Captains were able to escape with no further damage after the Bracho error.

The Captains added a run in the sixth inning when Joe Donovan reached base on a single and moved to second on a throwing error to start the inning. After Will Brennan popped out to the second baseman and Brayan Rocchio struck out Bryan Lavastida singled to right field and drove home Donovan pulling the Captains to with 9-2.

Whitecap’s starter Righthander Beau Brieske picked up the win. Brieske pitched five and two thirds very effective innings. He allowed two runs, both earned on four hits while striking out seven Lake county hitters. Mock took the loss for the Captains falling to 0-2 with a 21.00 ERA in two starts. His line for the night was not pretty. In 3.1 innings he allowed seven runs, all earned on six hits. He also issued three base on balls, hit a batter and struck out one batter.

The Captains and Whitecaps will play the finale of the six-game series on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Keider Montero will be on the mound for the Whitecaps. Montero a righty is 2-4 with a 5.68 ERA. The Captains will send Righthander Mason Hickman to the hill. Hickman is 2-2 with a 5.01 ERA.