Captains Navigate Around Hawks, 7-5

July 24, 2013 - Midwest League (MWL1)
South Bend Silver Hawks News Release


First baseman Joe Sever drove in runs in the first, second, and fourth innings as the Lake County Captains took the opening game of the series from the South Bend Silver Hawks 7-5 on Wednesday night. Sever finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs in the game, while center fielder Logan Vick also chipped in with two hits, two RBIs, and a run scored.

The offenses of both teams took control of this game from the outset. With two outs in the top of the first, the Captains scored the first run of the game against Hawks starting pitcher Kyle Winkler (2-3). Center fielder Logan Vick got the Lake County offense going with a line drive single to center. Sever then ripped a double to the center field wall that scored Vick all the way from first base for a 1-0 Captains lead.

South Bend (62-39, 18-14), struck back to tie the game in the bottom of the first. Designated hitter Fidel Pena beat out a ground ball to second for an infield single to lead off the game. With one out, Pena stole second and went on to third base on a throwing error by the Captains catcher. After a strikeout and a walk that put two on with two out, Luis DeJesus (4-10) appeared to have escaped the jam when first baseman Rudy Flores hit a routine one-hopper to first. However, the play was waved off as DeJesus was called for a balk on the play, allowing Pena to score and third baseman Brandon Drury to advance to second. DeJesus eventually struck out Flores to escape the inning with the score tied at 1-1.

Lake County (39-59, 16-15) immediately took the lead right back in the second inning. Catcher Eric Haase led off with a fly ball to left that was misplayed into a leadoff triple. Third baseman Zack MacPhee walked before Winkler got the first out of the inning on a foul pop fly to third. Second baseman Yhoxian Medina gave the Captains the 2-1 lead with a solid single to right, scoring Haase and moving MacPhee to second. Winkler retired left fielder Todd Hankins on a fly ball to center field and had a chance to get out of the inning with only one run allowed. Shortstop Dorssys Paulino walked to load the bases and Vick snuck a single through the right side to drive home two runs and extend the Lake County lead to 4-1. Sever continued to add to Winkler's rough outing with a line drive single to right field that scored Paulino and made it a 5-1 Captains lead.

South Bend, the Class-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, clawed one run back in the bottom of the second inning. Left fielder Alex Glenn led off with a triple down the right field line. He came around to score on catcher Michael Perez's groundout to first base, cutting the lead to 5-2.

Lake County, the Class-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, added to the lead with two more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Medina led off the inning by reaching on a throwing error by the Hawks shortstop. A wild pitch advanced Medina to second with one out. Paulino beat out an infield single to short that put runners at the corners with one out. Winkler then retired Vick on an infield popup to third base before Paulino stole second with two outs. Sever picked up his teammate however, driving in both runners with a ground ball single up the middle, and giving the Captains a 7-2 lead.

The Hawks started to make a comeback in the bottom of the fourth inning when Flores led off with a double to right field. Glenn walked and ball four was in the dirt and past the catcher, allowing Flores to advance to third. DeJesus retired the next two batters without allowing a runner to score but second baseman Andrew Velazquez came through with a two-out, run-scoring single. Pena followed with a double to the left field corner to score Glenn, and move Velazquez to third base, cutting the Lake County lead to 7-4. Center fielder Breland Almadova laced a ball towards center but was robbed of a two-run single by a diving catch by Captains' shortstop Paulino.

Winkler's day on the hill for the Hawks was done after four innings. Jose Jose came on in relief to start the fifth inning. Winkler allowed seven runs (five earned) and nine hits over his four innings of work, while striking out five Captains. Jose pitched a scoreless fifth, allowing two baserunners and striking out two Captains.

The Silver Hawks inched closer in the bottom of the fifth inning. Brito led off with a flare single into left field. Drury followed with a groundball double into the left field corner that put runners on second and third with nobody out. DeJesus limited the damage in the inning as he induced Flores to pop up to shortstop. Glenn drove in the fifth run of the game for the Hawks with a sacrifice fly to left. But that was the only run scored in the inning as Perez drove the ball to the wall with two outs but was robbed by a great catch by Captains center fielder Logan Vick.

Both bullpens shut down the offenses after the fifth inning. Blake Perry came in to start the sixth for the Hawks and tossed three shutout innings, allowing just one baserunner and striking out three Captains. Enrique Burgos pitched around a two-out double in a scoreless ninth to give the Hawks a chance at a ninth inning comeback. For the Captains, Kyle Crockett replaced DeJesus in the sixth inning. He pitched a scoreless inning and was followed by Cody Penny who threw two clean innings, retiring all six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth. Grant Sides (S, 2) entered the game in the ninth inning and closed the game out for the Captains to give Lake County it's first win of the year in South Bend after the Silver Hawks won the first four home games between the teams this season.

The Hawks and Captains play again Thursday night at Coveleski Regional Stadium. First pitch is at 7:05pm. Jake Sisco (4-7, 3.74 ERA) gets the start for Lake County and Brad Allen (4-6, 5.47 ERA) takes the hill for South Bend in a battle of righthanders. It's Thirsty Thursday at the Cove so enjoy $1 beer and soda all night long.



Midwest League Stories from July 24, 2013


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