Captains’ Comeback Falls Short in 5-4 Loss to Lugnuts

EASTLAKE, OH – A two-run comeback by the Lake County Captains (4-5) in the bottom of the eighth inning fell short in their 5-4 series-opening loss to the Lansing Lugnuts (4-6) at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake, in a game that featured three ties and three lead changes.

After one-and-a-half scoreless innings, the Captains struck first in the bottom of the second inning, when C Johnny Tincher reached on a fielding error by Lugnuts 3B Jose Escorche,** scoring DH **Jorge Burgos.

After Lake County RHP Trenton Denholm retired 12 of his first 14 batters, Lansing SS Euribiel Ángeles led off the top of the fifth inning with a game-tying solo home run over the left field fence.

One inning later, Lansing took the lead when Lugnuts LF Jonny Butler hit a two-out solo home run off of Denholm.

Denholm record a no-decision, allowing four hits, two runs, and no walks, while throwing seven strikeouts in six innings of work. RHP Allan Hernández then relieved him, tossing a scoreless top of the seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh, Lake County threatened again when RF Jonah Advincula notched a single and stole second, his third stolen base of the season in as many attempts. With two outs and Advincula on second, 2B Nate Furman hit a game-tying RBI single up the middle.

Then, with Lake County RHP Josh Wolf on the mound in the top of the eighth, Lansing swung out to a 4-2 lead with a two-run homer by Lugnuts CF Brayan Buelvas.

But the Captains did not give up the ship.

In the bottom of the eighth, SS Jose Devers, Cleveland’s No. 19 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, and DH Cooper Ingle hit consecutive singles to put runners on the corners. OF Guy Lipscomb pinch-ran for Ingle and stole second to put two men in scoring position for 1B C.J. Kayfus. Kayfus delivered for Lake County, yanking a two-run double to tie the game again at 4-4. Lansing RHP Dylan Hall (1-0) then retired Burgos, 3B Alex Mooney, Cleveland’s No. 20 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, and Advincula to retire the side.

The Lugnuts put Hall in a position to earn the win in the top of the ninth, loading the bases with a 1B Danny Bautista Jr. reaching on a dropped third strike, a single by DH José Mujica and walk by C CJ Rodriguez.

With two outs, 2B Colby Halter singled off the glove of RHP Magnus Ellerts (0-1) to score Bautista, putting Lansing ahead once again 5-4.

In the bottom of the ninth, Hall set down the Captains 1-2-3 to earn his first victory of the season for the Lugnuts. Hall went two innings, allowing one earned run on two hits with no strikeouts and no walks.

First pitch for the second game of this week’s scheduled six-game series between the Captains and Lugnuts is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at 12:05 p.m. 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

- Cooper Ingle is 5-for-9 over his last two games. The 2023 fourth-round pick out of Clemson hit his fourth double of the season in the bottom of the second, and is now in a four-way tie for second in the Midwest League in doubles.

- Alex Mooney extended his hitting streak to six games with his second multi-hit game of the season (2-for-4). The 2023 seventh-round pick out of Duke is hitting 8-for-21 (.381) during this streak, which spans back to April 6 vs. West Michigan (Game 2).

- Every Captain in the team’s starting lineup reached base, with seven of them hitting safely.

- Trenton Denholm’s six-inning start was the longest by a Captains starter this year. The El Dorado Hills, California native spun his first quality start of the season (six-or-more innings, three-or-less earned runs).

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.