Captains end great season with 5-3 loss
BY TIM SHIRER
CAPTAINS BEAT WRITER
(EASTLAKE, OH) - On Saturday Night the Lake County captains defeated the Beloit Snappers 4-0 and the Great Lakes Loons were defeated by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers therefore the Captains clinched the first ever High-A Central East Division title. Their work was not finished to make the post season. Only two clubs in the High-A Central make the post season, the two team with the best record. Heading into Sunday the Captains trailed the Cedar Rapids Kernels by one game for the final playoff spot. The Kernels play in the High-A Central West. The top playoff spot is owned by the Quad Cities River Bandits who won the West Division title. The Captains hold the tie breaker with Cedar Rapids. The Captains needed the win today and the Kernels to lose. Unfortunately, both things went the wrong way as the Captains fell to the Snappers 5-3 and the Kernels won.
The Snappers got on the board quick in the first inning. With two outs in the inning Connor Scott singled off Captains starter Mason Hickman. With Bennett Hostetler at the plate Scott stole second base. The theft was Scott’s 14th of the season. Bennett then singled to right field and Scott scored the Snapper’s first run. Bennett moved to second base on a throwing error on the play. Bennett then scored when Troy Johnston singled to right field extending the Snappers lead to 2-0. Hickman then loaded the bases when David Martinez singled and Tevin Mitchell drew a walk. Hickman however was able to elude further damage by forcing Ynmanol Marinez to ground out to end the threat.
The Snappers added three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Hickman faced the first two batters and allowed singled before being pulled in favor of Kevin Kelly who got off to a rough start as he allowed a single and double to the first two hitters he faced. Kelly was able to retire the next three batters to keep the Snappers lead at 5-0.
The Captains came right back in the bottom of the sixth with three runs to cut the lead to two runs at 5-3. Jose Tena led off the inning with a single off Snapper’s starter George Soriano. Soriano then got Jhonkensy Noel and Micah Pries to pop up in the infield. Johnathan Rodriguez then single to center field moving Tena to second base. Joe Naranjo then singled to center field and Tena came home with the Captains first run, Rodriguez ended up at third base. With runners at the corners Naranjo stole second base, his seventh steal of the season. Soriano then issued a base on balls to Raynel Delgado loading the bases. With Captains everywhere Snapper’s manager Mike Jacobs made the move to his bullpen bringing in reliever Jackson Rose. Rose a righthander came on to face Mike Amditis. Rose had Amditis in an 0-2 hole. Amditis then worked the count to 2-2 before knocking a single into center field sending home Rodriguez and Naranjo for the with the Captains second and third runs. Rose did get Julian Escobedo to fly out to right field to end the threat and maintain the Snappers 5-3 lead.
Soriano picked up the win for the Snappers and improves to 4-1 with a 3.74 ERA. Tyler Mitzel picked up the save pitching the final inning. The save was Mitzel’s 9th of the season. Hickman was tagged with the loss and falls to 8-8 with a 4.88 ERA.
The Captains will play next on Friday April 8th, 2022, against the Lansing Lugnuts at 7:05 p.m. in Lansing, Michigan. Pitchers for both clubs are TBA.
POSTED 09/19/2021 16:53