by The Lake County Captains fall to the Lansing Lugnuts by a score of 6-4 on a hot summer afternoon at Classic Park on Sunday. The Captains sought to head into the all-star break evening the series in this 6-game set against Lansing.
Righty Zach Jacobs received the nod. He pitched against Lansing on Tuesday, tossing 3 innings en route to a victory in the series opener. Jacobs came into today’s match with a 4-3 record, and a 2.68 ERA in 53.2 innings.
Following a calm first inning, Lansing’s Will Simpson led off the top of the second with a stand-up double down the left-field line. After center fielder Bryan Buelvas hit a single up the middle, Jacobs managed to get the first out by way of the strikeout but threw a wild pitch the next at-bat, allowing Simpson to score. With runners on second and third, Cameron Masterman hit a sacrifice fly to left field, extending the lead to 2. Buelvas showcased his aggressiveness on the basepaths, swiping second and third during the inning.
Needing to pick up their pitcher, the Captains offense led off the inning with 2 consecutive base hits by designated hitter Jorge Burgos and third baseman Jose Devers. With 2 outs, first baseman Maick Collado bashed a no-doubt, three-run home run giving the Captains the lead. Collado’s fourth home run in July. Catcher Johnny Tincher blasted a home run to left center field the next at-bat, swinging momentum in favor of Lake County. For Tincher, it was his first home run since April 7th.
A quiet third inning ensued for both clubs. With 2 outs in the fourth, Jacobs plunked third baseman Luke Mann. Masterman then hit a routine ground ball to Lake County’s sure-handed shortstop Angel Genao which should have ended the inning. Genao had trouble corralling the ball in his mitt, prompting Masterman to reach base on what was ruled as a fielding error. Matt Jachec was called in to relieve Jacobs. Jacobs finished with 3.2 innings pitched, allowing 3 hits, 3 runs, and fanning 2. Lansing’s catcher Cole Conn smoked a ball into the outfield, cutting Lake County’s lead in half.
The Captains bats went silent for the proceeding innings when the Lugnuts called in Grant Judkins from the bullpen in the bottom of the fourth. Judkins would cruise past the fourth and fifth innings. Lansing would score 3 runs behind 3 singles and heads-up baserunning in the top of the sixth. Genao would pick up his third fielding error of the game, trying to turn a double play. Genao, a reliable option at short, surprised Lake County fans with a truly unorthodox day in the infield.
Judkins’s day was done when Tincher rolled into an inning-ending double play in the bottom of the seventh. Like a clean scorecard in golf, Judkins recorded 4 innings pitched, giving up 1 hit, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts, and no runs allowed. He also got credited with the win, bringing his total to 2 halfway through the season.
Bullpen arms Yehizon Sanchez and Diego Barrera continued to lock down the Lake County lineup during the eighth and ninth. Barrera tossed 1.1 innings, allowing one hit, and picking up his first save in Double-A ball, as he has climbed up from Low-A at the start of the season. Lake County could only muster 2 more hits after they exploded for 4 hits and 4 runs in the bottom of the second.
As the Captains go into the all-star break, their overall season record falls to 51-35, with the second half sitting at 10-10. Already locked into the playoffs thanks to an impressive 41-25 record in the first half, bench coach Marc Mumper is all about progression. “We struggle with them a little bit; they have a unique lineup and they do not strike out a ton. We’d much rather go into the break feeling better than worse, but the guys have been working hard.”
The Captains travel to Fort Wayne to face off against the TinCaps in a mini-series starting on Friday, July 19th. “I’m hoping the break is a good little flush for the team. We already know we’re in the playoffs, so it’s more of keep getting better, keep getting better, keep getting better.”, said Coach Mumper.
