Velazquez and Mooney Power Captains to 7-4 Win Over Kernels
EASTLAKE, OH – In the fourth game of a scheduled six-game series, the Lake County Captains (30-26, 71-51) defeated the Cedar Rapids Kernels (27-31, 64-58) by a score of 7-4 at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake. Captains LF Ralphy Velazquez, MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 Cleveland and No. 75 overall
EASTLAKE, OH – In the fourth game of a scheduled six-game series, the Lake County Captains (30-26, 71-51) defeated the Cedar Rapids Kernels (27-31, 64-58) by a score of 7-4 at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.
Captains LF Ralphy Velazquez, MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 Cleveland and No. 75 overall prospect, drove in three of Lake County’s first two runs in his first two at-bats of the night. In the bottom of the first inning, he opened the game’s scoring with an RBI single to opposite field.
Then, in the home half of the third frame, each of the first six Captains to bat reached base and scored. RF Jonah Advincula began the half-inning with a single, and reached second on an ensuing fielding error by Kernels RF Gabriel Gonzalez. DH Angel Genao, MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 Cleveland and No. 91 overall prospect, then plated Advincula with an RBI single, which put Lake County ahead 2-1.
Two batters later, following a double from 2B Jake Fox, MLB Pipeline’s No. 27 Cleveland prospect, Velazquez hit another opposite-field single, which brought home two runs and extended the Captains’ lead to 4-1. After C Jacob Cozart, MLB Pipeline’s No. 13 Cleveland prospect, drew a walk, 3B Alex Mooney, MLB Pipeline’s No. 24 Cleveland prospect, launched a three-run home run to give Lake County a 7-1 advantage.
Captains RHP Alonzo Richardson (1-2) earned his first career High-A win. The right-hander tied his professional career-high of seven innings pitched, allowing five hits, one earned run, and no walks, while throwing five strikeouts in 85 pitches (57 strikes). His lone run allowed came from a two-out RBI double from Cedar Rapids CF Walker Jenkins, MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 Minnesota and No. 3 overall prospect, in the top of the third inning, which tied the game at 1-1.
After both teams were held scoreless from the fourth through seventh innings, the Kernels strung together three runs in the top of the eighth. 1B Rixon Wingrove hit the first pitch of the frame off the batter’s eye in center field for a leadoff home run off Lake County RHP Matt Jachec. Eventually, LF Kyle Hess and RF Gabriel Gonzalez tallied RBI doubles to make it a 7-4 contest.
Despite Cedar Rapids retiring 17 of the Captains’ final 18 batters, Lake County maintained its three-run lead heading into the ninth inning.
In the top of the ninth, Captains LHP Steven Perez induced a groundout and issued a walk before Lake County turned a 4-6-3 double play to end the game, sealing Perez’s first career High-A save.
The fifth game of this week’s scheduled six-game series between the Captains and Kernels is scheduled for Saturday night at 7 p.m. It will be Fan Appreciation Night at the ballpark, where the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a Chase DeLauter bobblehead courtesy of Ohio Lottery.
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
- 1B/LF Ralphy Velazquez recorded a High-A best three RBI on Friday night. This performance marks the 2023 first-round pick’s fourth career game with at least three RBI, and first since he drove in three runs on June 16 with Single-A Lynchburg.
- INF Alex Mooney’s three-run home run on Friday night was his 35th extra-base hit and 11th homer of the season, and first home run since July 5 versus Dayton. The 2023 seventh-round pick is one of six MiLB players with at least 35 extra-base hits, 11 home runs, and 40 stolen bases this season.
- RHP Alonzo Richardson has now recorded back-to-back quality starts for Lake County. During this span, the 21-year-old has gone 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA, allowing three earned runs and three walks, while throwing seven strikeouts in a combined 13 innings of work.
- INF Angel Genao went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double, and an RBI single on Friday night. Since being promoted from Single-A Lynchburg on June 3, the 20-year-old leads the Midwest League with a .321 batting average, 78 hits, and 21 doubles.
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.