Captains Clinch Spot in 2025 Midwest League Playoffs with 3-2 Win Over Loons
MWL Lake County Captains

Captains Clinch Spot in 2025 Midwest League Playoffs with 3-2 Win Over Loons

Published on September 6, 2025 under Midwest League (MWL)
Lake County Captains News Release


EASTLAKE, Ohio - In the fourth game of a scheduled six-game series, the Lake County Captains (39-25, 74-56) defeated the Great Lakes Loons (36-27, 70-58) by a final score of 3-2 on Friday night at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.

With the victory, the Captains secured a spot in the 2025 Midwest League Playoffs.

Lake County found the scoreboard first on Friday night, when CF Jaison Chourio, MLB Pipeline 's No. 6 Guardians prospect, hit a two-out RBI infield single in the bottom of the third inning to give the Captains a 1-0 lead.

The Loons were held scoreless until the sixth inning, when CF Eduardo Quintero, MLB Pipeline 's No. 4 Dodgers and No. 53 MLB prospect, hit a game-tying solo home run to begin the frame. This was the only run allowed by Lake County LHP Caden Favors (W, 8-9), who recorded his fourth quality start of the season. The southpaw permitted five hits and two walks, while throwing six strikeouts in 91 pitches (56 strikes).

But the Captains promptly responded a half-inning later, regaining their one-run lead with a pair of runs in the home half of the sixth frame. Following back-to-back walks from C Bennett Thompson and SS Jose Devers, 3B Juan Benjamin hit a sacrifice bunt to Loons C Gio Cueto. Cueto's throwing error to Great Lakes 2B Logan Wagner, who was covering first base, allowed both Thompson and Devers to score, which put Lake County back in front 3-2. Benjamin, however, slid past the third base bag on the play and was tagged out on a throw from Wagner to Loons 3B Jake Gelof.

The visitors tacked on the game's final run in the top of the eighth inning, when Great Lakes RF Josue De Paula, MLB Pipeline 's No. 1 Dodgers and No. 12 MLB prospect, hit an RBI double to make it a 3-2 ballgame and put the tying run in scoring position.

But Captains RHP Jay Driver (S, 3) entered the game in relief and retired the final five Loons batters to earn his third save of the season and punch Lake County's ticket to the postseason. The right-hander threw a pair of strikeouts, which ended the top of the eighth and ninth innings, respectively.

Great Lakes RHP Aidan Foeller (L, 0-1) suffered his first loss of the season, surrendering two runs (one earned) on two hits, while throwing five strikeouts to four walks in 2.2 innings of work.

The fifth game of this week's scheduled six-game series between the Captains and Loons is scheduled for Saturday night at 7 p.m. It will be Fan Appreciation Night at the ballpark, where Lake County will host its third and final "Celebrating the Magic: '95 Tribe Night" and the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a Carlos Baerga Bobblehead, presented by Minutemen. The game will be broadcast on the Bally Sports Live App and MiLB.com, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on X and Instagram.

Notes to Know

- With a victory on Friday night, the Captains earned their ninth playoff berth in franchise history. Lake County also advanced to the South Atlantic League Playoffs twice (2003 and 2008), and the Midwest League Playoffs six previous times (2010, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2022, and 2024).

- OF Jaison Chourio went 2-for-4 with an RBI infield single on Friday night. The 20-year-old is batting .306 with 37 hits, three doubles, one triple, one home run, 15 RBI, and 16 walks over his last 30 games.

- OF Nick Mitchell extended his on-base streak to 13 games with a walk on Friday night. The 21-year-old is batting .327 with 16 hits, three doubles, three triples, one home run, six RBI, nine walks, four stolen bases, a .410 on-base percentage, and a .981 OPS during this span.

- LHP Caden Favors tallied his fourth quality start of the season on Friday night. Over his last seven starts, the 2024 sixth-round pick out of Wichita State is 5-1 with a 1.66 ERA, 33 strikeouts to just 11 walks, and a .200 opposing batting average in 38.0 innings pitched.

Check out the Lake County Captains Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from September 6, 2025


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