Lugnuts’ Two-Run Ninth Proves Critical in 6-5 Captains Loss

A two-run double from Lansing CF Brayan Buelvas proved to be the difference on Friday night.

By Tyler Danburg

July 13, 2024

EASTLAKE, OH – The Lake County Captains (10-8, 51-33) entered the top of the ninth leading 5-4, but a two-run double by Lansing Lugnuts (8-11, 40-44) CF Brayan Buelvas, MLB Pipeline’s No. 29 Oakland prospect, gave Lake County a 6-5 loss on Friday at Classic Auto Group Park. With two

EASTLAKE, OH – The Lake County Captains (10-8, 51-33) entered the top of the ninth leading 5-4, but a two-run double by Lansing Lugnuts (8-11, 40-44) CF Brayan Buelvas, MLB Pipeline’s No. 29 Oakland prospect, gave Lake County a 6-5 loss on Friday at Classic Auto Group Park.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Captains CF Guy Lipscomb slashed a line drive down the first-base line that clipped base umpire Brandon Spevak, limiting him to a single. C Cooper Ingle, MLB Pipeline’s No. 30 Cleveland prospect, singled Lipscomb to third, but Lansing RHP Luis Carrasco struck out LF Jorge Burgos to secure the Lugnuts win.

Buelvas fueled the Lansing comeback win when he ripped a two-run double in the top of the ninth off Captains RHP Magnus Ellerts. Buelvas’s 20^th double of the season marked the fourth and final lead change in the game.

In the bottom of the eighth, Burgos delivered a go-ahead RBI double to give the Captains a 5-4 lead. His two-bagger came after Lansing scored one in the top of the fifth and three in the top of the sixth. Lugnuts LF Cameron Masterman hit a game-tying solo home run in the top of the fifth, his second straight game with a homer.

The Captains struck first in the bottom of the third with a two-out RBI single by Lipscomb. One frame later, DH Jake Fox, MLB Pipeline’s No. 18 Cleveland prospect, hit a two-run home run. Two batters later, SS Jose Devers, MLB Pipeline’s No. 19 Cleveland prospect, hit a double for his second hit of the game. He eventually scored on a throwing error by Lansing C Cole Conn after stealing third base.

Lansing RHP Blaze Pontes (1-7) earned the win, pitching four innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out two and walking three. Ellerts (3-3) picked up the loss, allowing two runs on two hits and fanning two across two innings. Lake County RHP Trenton Denholm (ND) went 5.2 innings, allowing four runs on four hits, striking out four and walking three.

First pitch for the fifth game of this week’s scheduled six-game series between the Captains and Lugnuts is scheduled for Saturday night at 7 p.m. It will be ‘Merica Night at the ballpark, where the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a James A. Garfield bobblehead courtesy of Tour Lake County.

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

- OF/2B Jake Fox is batting .348 (8-for-23) over his last six games. 13 of his 35 RBI and four of his five home runs this season have come against Lansing.

- OF Guy Lipscomb is batting .429 (18-for-42) against Lansing this season.

- Lipscomb, C Cooper Ingle, OF Jorge Burgos, and INF Jose Devers each recorded a two-hit game on Friday night.

- Despite the loss, the Captains are 13-9 in one run games, the second-best winning percentage in the Midwest League.

- Lake County is now 39-3 when leading after eight innings this season.

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.