Captains Suffer Third Doubleheader Sweep of Season in Losses to Loons

EASTLAKE, OH – The Lake County Captains (24-21, 65-46) fell to the Great Lakes Loons (24-21, 58-53) in both games of a doubleheader on Thursday at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.

This marked the Captains’ third time being swept in a doubleheader this season.

Game 1

A three-run third inning from Great Lakes proved crucial in an eventual 4-2 defeat in Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader.

After retiring eight straight batters, Lake County RHP Yorman Gómez (0-1), allowed a leadoff double to Loons 2B Sam Mongelli to begin the fourth inning. Gómez then retired the next two Great Lakes hitters he faced, bringing Loons 3B Jordan Thompson to the plate with two outs in the top of the fourth. His go-ahead RBI single broke a 1-1 tie and began a stretch of four consecutive two-out singles from Great Lakes. RF Dylan Campbell’s two-run single two batters later gave the Loons a 4-1 advantage.

Gómez pitched five innings in his High-A debut, allowing seven hits, four runs (three earned), and two walks, while throwing seven strikeouts in 87 pitches (60 strikes).

Offensively, the Captains tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning with an RBI single from DH Esteban González, which was Lake County’s first hit of the game. Three innings later, LF Jorge Burgos trimmed Great Lakes’ lead to 4-2 with a solo home run, his 15^th homer of the season.

In the bottom of the seventh, C Johnny Tincher drew his second walk of the game to put the tying run at the plate for the Captains. However, 2B Jake Fox, MLB Pipeline’s No. 27 Cleveland prospect, grounded into a 6-3 double play, and 3B Alex Mooney, MLB Pipeline’s No. 24 prospect, struck out swinging to end the contest.

Game 2

The Captains were held to just one run on three hits in Game 2 of Thursday’s doubleheader, as they fell by a final score of 4-1.

Lake County’s only run came in the bottom of the second inning, when C Kevin Rivas drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk to give the Captains a 1-0 lead. But Lake County left the bases loaded, as DH Jake Fox flew out to left field to end the frame.

RHP Alonzo Richardson (0-2) began his High-A home debut with three scoreless innings of work. However, the Loons tied the game at 1-1 when 3B Jake Gelof hit an RBI double in the top of the fourth. After 2B Sam Mongelli moved him to third base with a sacrifice bunt, Gelof eventually scored on a wild pitch to give Great Lakes a 2-1 advantage.

Richardson pitched four innings for the Captains, allowing five hits, two earned runs, and two walks, while throwing three strikeouts in 75 pitches (45 strikes).

In the bottom of the fifth, Lake County loaded the bases for a second time. With one out in the half-inning, SS Angel Genao, MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 Cleveland and No. 95 overall prospect, hit a single. This was immediately followed by consecutive walks from 1B Ralphy Velazquez, MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 Cleveland and No. 77 overall prospect, and 3B Alex Mooney.

But after a strikeout from RF Jonah Advincula, CF Esteban González was robbed of a potential game-tying hit when Mongelli made a leaping catch to end the frame.

Both teams were then held scoreless until the top of the seventh inning, when Loons CF Dylan Campbell hit a two-out, two-run home run off Captains RHP Zach Jacobs, making it a 4-1 ballgame. This was Jacobs’s first home run allowed since June 5 at Beloit.

In the home half of the frame, Genao walked and advanced to second base on a Velazquez groundout. But Mooney struck out swinging to end the contest, as Great Lakes RHP Kelvin Ramirez earned a six-out save.

The fifth game of this week’s scheduled seven-game series between the Captains and Loons is scheduled for Friday night at 7 p.m. It will be Marvel Defenders of the Diamond Night at the ballpark, where Lake County will wear special edition Marvel-themed jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game. The Captains will also have postgame Friday Night Fireworks.

The game will be broadcast on the Bally Live app and MiLB.TV, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on X and Instagram.

Notes to Know

- With his solo homer in Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader, OF Jorge Burgos has now hit 12 home runs since June 14, which are tied for the most in High-A. Additionally, his 34 RBI during this span are tied for the third-most in High-A.

- With a pair of walks in Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader, C Johnny Tincher extended his on-base streak to 15 games, which is tied for the second-longest active streak in the Midwest League. During this span, the 2023 11^th-round pick is hitting .289 (13-for-45) with four runs, two doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI, 11 walks, a .439 on-base percentage, and a .906 OPS.

- With a bases-loaded walk in Game 2 of Thursday’s doubleheader, C Kevin Rivas tallied his first career High-A RBI.

- With a double in Game 2 of Thursday’s doubleheader, 1B Ralphy Velazquez recorded his first career High-A extra-base hit. The 19-year-old now has 33 extra-base hits in his first full professional season across Lake County and Single-A Lynchburg.

The Lake County Captains are the High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, and have been a Class A Affiliate of Cleveland since the team was founded in 2003. To find out more information about the Captains or purchase tickets, visit CaptainsBaseball.com, or call (440) 975-8085.