MWL1 Lake County Captains

Captains Silence Potent Lansing Bats

Published on June 26, 2018 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Lake County Captains News Release


(Lansing, MI) - The Lansing Lugnuts (4-1, 47-28) might lead the Midwest League in runs scored, but their offense was no match for four Lake County Captains (2-3, 31-44) hurlers on Monday night at Cooley Law School Stadium. Francisco Perez led the way and a trio of relievers followed suit to help the Captains blank the Lugnuts, 6-0.

Perez hardly sweated through his 6.2 shutout innings. The left-hander got into minor trouble in the second when Yeltsin Gudino and Norberto Obeso hit back-to-back two-out singles to put runners on the corners, but an easy ground out to first ended the frame. After Perez retired eight men in a row, Lansing put two men on in the fifth on a walk and an infield single by Matt Morgan, but Perez escaped with a 6-4-3 double play.

The lefty pitched his fourth one-two-three inning of the game in the sixth, but needed help to escape his final jam of the night. In the bottom of the seventh, Perez walked Brock Lundquist with one out and Obeso doubled with two out to put runners on second and third. Jonathan Teaney rescued Perez. The right-hander emerged from the bullpen and struck out Morgan to end the inning and strand both runners.

Tommy DeJuneas was the next man up in the Lake County bullpen. Making his return from the Disabled List and pitching for the first time since May 31, DeJuneas gave up a leadoff single to Reggie Pruitt and walked Chavez Young before shaking off the cobwebs. With two on and nobody out, DeJuneas struck out the next three men in a row. The All-Star right-hander got Kevin Vicuna looking and then fanned Ryan Noda and Brandon Grudzielanek swinging to end a scoreless eighth.

Kyle Nelson nailed down the final three outs. The Captains' other All-Star hurler made quick work of the Lugnuts in the ninth. After he got Lundquist to bounce out to third, Nelson struck out Gudino swinging on a pitch that nearly hit the right-handed batter on the back food and then froze Obeso for a game-ending punch-out.

Perez (5-4) picked up the win. He pitched 6.2 shutout innings and held Lansing to just four hits. Perez struck out five and walked just two. The Captains' pitching staff combined to strike out 11, walk three and surrender just five hits.

Lake County's offense scored quickly against Lansing starter Colton Laws. After Joshua Rolette worked his way aboard in the second with a two-out walk, Miguel Eladio smacked a triple into the right-centerfield alley, over the diving glove of right fielder Chavez Young. Jesse Berardi then yanked a double into the right field corner that brought home Eladio to give the Captains a 2-0 lead.

The following inning, the Captains made it happen with two outs again. Jonathan Laureano pulled a single through the left side and Oscar Gonzalez belted a two-run home run off the base of the videoboard in left field. The homer gave the Captains a 4-0 lead and also tied Gonzalez with Will Benson for the team lead in long balls with 11.

The Captains added two more runs against the Lansing bullpen. In the seventh, Berardi led off with a single and stole second. He later scored when Nolan Jones laced a single against right-hander Brayden Bouchey. In the eighth, Jose Medina tripled to right-center against lefty Brody Rodning and a passed ball by Morgan brought Medina home with the Captains' sixth run.

Laws (4-3) took the loss for Lansing. The right-hander surrendered four of the Captains' six runs over four innings. He allowed eight hits, struck out four and walked one.

The Captains have won each of their last four meetings with Lansing and will try to extend that streak in game two of this three-game series on Tuesday night. First pitch at Cooley Law School Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Information about Classic Park or the Captains can be found online at www.captainsbaseball.com and by phone at 440-954-WINS (9467). Affordable ticket packages and group party and picnic options are available now.

Check out the Lake County Captains Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from June 26, 2018


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