The 4,504 fans that made their way to Classic Park expected to see a post game fireworks show.  Instead they witnessed a marathon between the Lake County Captains and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.  The back and forth affair ended after 15 innings when Captains right fielder Jordan Smith hit a bases loaded sacrifice fly to left field and Jose Ramirez scored from third base to give the Captains the 7-6 win.

The Captains as they did in the first two games of the series took an early lead wit a run in the first inning.  Wisconsin came back and tied the game 1-1 in the top fifth inning.  

Lake County came right back and regained the lead with two runs in the bottom of the inning.  One of the runs was courtesy of a solo home run by Captains designated hitter Patric Tolentino.  The blast was hit so hard it landed behind the left field bleachers in the kids play area.  The home run for Tolentino was his second on the year, the first home run was also a blast over the left field bleachers.

The Captains extended their lead to 5-1 with two more runs in the sixth inning.  That lead was not safe as Wisconsin chipped away.  The Timber Rattlers got single runs in the seventh and eighth inning and two runs in the ninth inning to tie the game 5-5.

The game remained tied until the top of the twelfth inning when Timber Rattler's right fielder Max Walla hit his second home run of the game, a solo shot to give the Timber Rattlers a 6-5 lead.  The home run was Walla's fourth of the season.

The Captains tied the game up in the bottom of the twelfth on an RBI single by Smith that scored Francisco Lindor. 

Finally in the bottom of the 15^th inning with the Captains out of pitchers and designated hitter Tolentino poised to take the mound in the top of the sixteenth, the Captains offense came through.  The inning began with a double by Ramirez.  Timber Rattlers reliever Stephen Peterson then intentionally walked Lindor.  After a passed ball by Wisconsin catcher Cameron Garfield, Peterson intentionally walked Luigi Rodriguez to load the bases.  Rattlers manager Matt Erickson then put his right fielder at first base and moved his first baseman between the first baseman and second baseman so he had five infielders so that nothing could get through on a ground ball.  It was all a mute point as Smith hit a sacrifice fly to left field and Ramirez came home with the winning run, ending the four hour and 22 minute marathon 7-6.

Peterson took the loss for the Timber Rattlers, falling to 2-2 with a 4.01 ERA.  Kyle Petter who pitched one inning after pitching two innings on Thursday picked up the win.  Peter improves to 1-0 with a 0.96 ERA.

The Captains will be back in action on Saturday Night at 7:00 p.m. when they open a three game series against the Beloit Snappers.  Elvis Araujo will be on the mound for Lake County.  Araujo is 3-7 with a 4.86 ERA.  Left hander David Hurlbut will be on the mound for Beloit.  Hurlbut is 3-2 with a 2.04 ERA.
tshirer@lakecounty-sentinel.com or follow Tim on Twitter  @TimothyShirer