Captains errors lead to 8-3 loss

(EASTLAKE, OH) - Entering game four of their series with the Beloit Snappers at Classic Park the Lake County Captains held the second and final playoff spot in the High-A Central. The Captains four game win streak was snapped by Beloit as they took advantage of Captains errors enroute to an 8-3 win.

The Snappers got on the board right away in the second inning when Dustin Skelton hit his eighth home run of the season over the left field was into the bleachers giving Beloit a 1-0 lead.

The Snappers added three more runs in the top of the third inning off Captains starter Hunter Gaddis to extend the lead to 4-0. With one out in the inning JD Orr reach base on an error by Captains first baseman Joe Naranjo. After Victor Victor Mesa grounded out and moved Orr to second base Connor Scott scored on a fielding error by Captains right fielder Jonathan Rodriguez increasing the Beloit lead to 2-0. The big blow in the inning came when Bennett Hostetler smacked his second home run of the season over the right center field fence to put the Snappers ahead 4-0.

The Captains came right back to temporarily close the gap to one run with a three-run inning in the bottom of the third. Snapper’s right hander Bryan Hoeing with one out allowed back-to-back singles to Christian Cairo and Jose Tena. With runners at the corners Micah Pries doubled to center field scoring Cairo and moving Tena to third base. The trouble was not over as Rodriguez singled to left field and both Tena and Pries scored getting the Captains to within one at 4-3.

The Beloit snapped back in the top of the fifth inning when they put four more runs on the board to extend the lead to 8-3. The inning consisted of two base on balls, a two-run home run, three stolen bases and a fielding error, the Captains third error of the game to that point. The fifth was the last inning of work for Gaddis. He had some tough breaks allowing eight runs only four were earned on five hits. He issued two base on balls and struck out nine Snappers.

Aside from the third inning Hoeing was lights out. In the third inning he aloud four hits, in the other six innings he aloud only two hits. His complete line is impressive as he went seven innings allowing three runs all earned on six hits. He issued one base on balls and struck out five Captains. Hoeing earned the win and improved to 7-6 with a 4.83 ERA. Gaddis suffered the loss for Lake County falling to 5-11 with a 4.16 ERA.

The loss hurt as the Cedar Rapids Kernels won on Friday night and took a one game lead on Lake County for the final playoff spot. The Captains do however stay a game up on the Great Lakes Loons who also lost tonight.

The Captains and Snappers will take the field for game five of the series Saturday night with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. Righty Eury Perez will take the mound for the Snappers, Perez one of the Miami Marlin’s top pitching prospects is 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA. The Cleveland Indians number 1 pick from the 2019 draft Daniel Espino will be on the hill for Lake County. Espino, also a righthander is 1-6 with a 4.68 ERA.

tshirer@lakecountysentinel.com or follow Tim on Twitter @TBBucsTim Check out our IndiansNation fan Page

POSTED 09/17/2021 23:32

Lake County Captains infielder Jose Tena . Photo by Tim Shirer