Mooney’s Go-Ahead Grand Slam, Kayfus’s Go-Ahead Solo Shot Fuel 7-6 Captains Win

The Captains hit two home runs in their second consecutive game on Sunday afternoon.

By Logan Potosky and Tyler Danburg

May 26, 2024

EASTLAKE, OH – 3B Alex Mooney’s go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the fifth, and 1B C.J. Kayfus’s go-ahead solo shot two innings later sparked Lake County’s 7-6 win over West Michigan on Sunday afternoon at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake. Captains RHP Carter Spivey (3-1) earned his

EASTLAKE, OH – 3B Alex Mooney’s go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the fifth, and 1B C.J. Kayfus’s go-ahead solo shot two innings later sparked Lake County’s 7-6 win over West Michigan on Sunday afternoon at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.

Captains RHP Carter Spivey (3-1) earned his third win of the year, tossing a Minor League-best seven innings, allowing six runs (three earned), fanning five and walking none in 91 pitches (63 strikes).

After Spivey retired the first six Whitecaps batters, West Michigan poured on five runs in the top of the third. SS Danny Serretti ripped a go-ahead single, LF Dom Johnson lined a two-run single, from which another run scored on a throwing error, and RF Roberto Campos, MLB Pipeline’s No. 23 Detroit prospect, drove in Johnson with a sacrifice fly.

Lake County then loaded the bases and got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when SS Jose Devers, MLB Pipeline’s No. 19 Cleveland prospect, rolled a ground ball into left for an RBI single and his fifth RBI of the series.

One inning later, the Captains erupted for five runs to take the lead. With the bases loaded, Kayfus, MLB Pipeline’s No. 28 Cleveland prospect, drew a bases-loaded walk. Mooney, MLB Pipeline’s No. 20 Cleveland prospect, immediately followed with a go-ahead grand slam to put Lake County in front 6-5.

In the top of the sixth, Whitecaps 3B Izaac Pacheco, MLB Pipeline’s No. 28 Detroit prospect, tied the game with a sacrifice fly. But in the bottom of the seventh inning, Kayfus jolted a two-out, go-ahead solo home run over the left field wall to give the Captains a 7-6 lead.

Lake County RHP Magnus Ellerts came in to close the ninth inning. After allowing a lead-off single to West Michigan DH Peyton Graham, MLB Pipeline’s No. 22 Detroit prospect, Ellerts got a swinging strikeout, a flyout, and a looking strikeout to earn his team-high fourth save of the season.

In the second game of his MLB rehab assignment, DH Steven Kwan went 0-for-2 with a walk, a fielder’s choice, and a run scored.

After an off day on Monday, the Captains will begin a six-game road series against the Cedar Rapids Kernels, which will be the first half of a season-long 12-game road trip. First pitch for the series-opener on Tuesday night is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. ET from Rise 2 Greatness Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The series and entire 12-game road trip will be broadcast on both the Bally Live app and MiLB.TV, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on both X and Instagram.

Notes To Know

- With Sunday’s 7-6 victory, Lake County has now won five series in 2024. The Captains have now gone 5-3 in their first eight series of the season.

- RHP Carter Spivey has now notched four quality starts in his first season of Minor League Baseball. Captains starters rank tied for fourth in Minor League Baseball with 15 quality starts.

- With home runs on Sunday, INF Alex Mooney and INF/OF C.J. Kayfus joined INF Nate Furman for the team lead with seven home runs. Their 21 combined homers are the most by a Midwest League trio this year.

- With INF Alex Mooney’s go-ahead grand slam on Sunday, the Captains have now hit a go-ahead grand slam in back-to-back games. C Cooper Ingle also hit one in Saturday’s 8-6 victory. This marks the first time that Lake County has hit a go-ahead grand slam in consecutive games since at least 2005.

- In two MLB rehab assignment games with the Captains, Cleveland Guardians OF Steven Kwan went 1-for-5 with a walk, a fielder’s choice, and a three-run home run in Saturday’s 8-6 win. According to researcher Tyler Stotsky, Kwan became the player to homer for Lake County on an MLB rehab assignment since Carlos Santana did so on June 4, 2012.

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.