Strong Offensive Start Propels Captains to 10-1 Win Over Fort Wayne

EASTLAKE, OH – In the sixth game of a scheduled seven-game series, the Lake County Captains (15-11) defeated the Fort Wayne TinCaps (10-16) by a final score of 10-1 on Saturday night at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.

This victory clinches Lake County’s third series win of the season, as it has now taken four of the first six contests in its current scheduled seven-game set.

The Captains got off to an incredible start offensively, and did not look back. The bottom of the first inning proved to be the team’s most productive inning at the plate this season.

After RF Guy Lipscomb and CF Jonah Advincula both walked, 1B C.J. Kayfus hit an RBI single to put Lake County on the board first. Two hitters later, SS Alex Mooney, MLB Pipeline’s No. 20 Cleveland prospect, hit an RBI double to make it a 2-0 game. This was the 21-year-old’s eighth double and 15^th RBI of the year. After a sacrifice fly from LF Angel Zarate, the next two Captains hitters walked to load the bases. C Zac Fascia then drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Lake County’s fourth run of the frame. This allowed the Captains to bat around in an inning for the first time this season.

In his second at-bat of the inning, Lipscomb hit a two-run single to cap off Lake County’s six-run surge. He eventually added two more singles and a double to finish the game 4-for-4 at the plate, tallying his first career four-hit game at the Minor League level.

After the first two Captains hitters were retired to begin the next inning, Lake County used a two-out rally to score four more runs. Consecutive singles from Mooney and Zarate set up an RBI ground-rule double from 2B Tyresse Turner, which made it a 7-0 game. DH Kevin Rivas then drew his second walk of the night to once again load the bases for Fascia.

The 25-year-old delivered, ripping a bases-clearing, three-run double to give the Captains a 10-0 lead. This was Fascia’s first extra-base hit of the season. His four RBI were his first four of the year, and his most in a game in his Minor League career.

On the other side of the diamond, RHP Jake Miller (2-2) recorded arguably the best start of his High-A career. The 23-year-old tied his Minor League career-high of five innings pitched, allowing five hits, one earned run, and no walks, while throwing a High-A best six strikeouts in 74 pitches (55 strikes). Miller’s lone blemish on the night was a two-out RBI double from TinCaps RF Kai Murphy in the top of the fifth inning, which plated their only run of the game.

Then, RHPs Zach Jacobs and Magnus Ellerts each pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the Captains, throwing a combined seven strikeouts.

First pitch for the finale of this week’s scheduled seven-game series between the Captains and TinCaps is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Lake County will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo as their Copa de la Diversión alter ego, Los Picantes de Lake County. It will also be Family Fun Sunday, presented by Classic Auto Group, which will feature pregame player autographs and catch on the field, plus postgame kids run the bases. The game 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 an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning, INF/OF C.J. Kayfus remains the Midwest League leader in batting average with runners in scoring position (.500). In this situation, the 2023 third-round pick out of Miami (FL) is hitting 11-for-22 with three doubles, one home run, 17 RBI, two walks, a .520 on-base percentage, a .773 slugging percentage, and a 1.293 OPS.

- With a combined four scoreless innings from RHPs Zach Jacobs and Magnus Ellerts, the Lake County bullpen has now pitched 14 consecutive scoreless innings, dating back to this past Wednesday’s 7-6 win over Fort Wayne. During this span, Captains relievers have allowed a combined seven hits and nine walks, while throwing 19 strikeouts.

- With a Minor League career-high four RBI, C Zac Fascia tied INF Nate Furman (April 18 vs. Lansing) and INF/OF C.J. Kayfus (April 27 at West Michigan) for the most RBI by a Captains hitter in a game this season. These were Fascia’s most RBI in a game since tallying three for the Single-A Lynchburg Hillcats on July 20, 2023 against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, the Single-A Affiliate of the Houston Astros.

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.

Contact: Logan Potosky, Play-by-Play Broadcaster & Media Relations Assistant
[email protected]