Captains Split Doubleheader Versus TinCaps, Win Game 2 with Walk-Off Hit-By-Pitch
MWL Lake County Captains

Captains Split Doubleheader Versus TinCaps, Win Game 2 with Walk-Off Hit-By-Pitch

Published on August 22, 2025 under Midwest League (MWL)
Lake County Captains News Release


EASTLAKE, Ohio - In the second and third games of a scheduled six-game series, the Lake County Captains (32-19, 67-50) split a doubleheader versus the Fort Wayne TinCaps (22-29, 53-63) on Thursday at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.

The Captains lost Game 1 by a final score of 5-3 in nine innings, but won Game 2 thanks to a seventh inning comeback by a final score of 6-5. With this doubleheader split, Lake County has won two of the first three games in this week's series.

GAME 1

In a game which went two extra innings, a three-run top of the ninth for Fort Wayne proved to be the difference in a 5-3 Captains defeat.

With the game tied at 2-2, TinCaps C Lamar King Jr., MLB Pipeline 's No. 14 Guardians prospect, put the visitors ahead with an RBI double off Captains RHP Jay Driver (L, 4-2). Following a groundout and two straight walks, Fort Wayne added another pair of runs with an RBI single from 1B Jack Costello and a sacrifice fly from CF Kai Roberts in consecutive plate appearances.

While Lake County did make it a 5-3 ballgame in the home half of the ninth inning, thanks to a sacrifice fly from RF Ryan Cesarini, 3B Juan Benjamin grounded into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play on the following pitch.

TinCaps LHP Fernando Sanchez (W, 4-3) earned his fourth win of the season with five innings of long relief. The left-hander permitted just two unearned runs on two hits, while throwing four strikeouts with no walks. For Lake County, Driver suffered his second loss of the year, permitting four runs (two earned) on two hits, while issuing three walks to one strikeout in two innings of work.

Captains LHP Matt Wilkinson (ND) did not record a decision in one of the best starts of his professional career. The 22-year-old pitched a pro career-high seven innings, allowing just one run on four hits, while throwing six strikeouts to just one walk in 85 pitches (52 strikes).

Offensively, Lake County's additional RBI in the contest was courtesy of a two-out RBI triple by DH Jaison Chourio, MLB Pipeline 's No. 6 Guardians prospect in the bottom of the third inning, which drove in the first run of the game.

GAME 2

Headlined by a five-run seventh inning, the Captains erased a 5-1 deficit down to their final three outs to record their second walk-off win in their last eight games.

Riding the momentum of a Game 1 victory, Fort Wayne put together a three-run first inning to get out to an early 3-0 advantage.

The first three TinCaps batters of the game reached and scored. Following a walk from LF Kasen Wells, 3B Rosman Verdugo, MLB Pipeline 's No. 23 Padres prospect, started the scoring with an RBI single. A batter later, C Brendan Durfee launched a two-run home run to put Fort Wayne ahead 3-0.

The TinCaps then added another run in the top of the second inning, when Durfee hit a two-out RBI single to make it a 4-0 game.

Lake County would strike with its first run of the contest in the bottom of the third inning, when C Bennett Thompson plated DH Nick Mitchell with a sacrifice fly.

After the fourth through sixth innings went scoreless on both sides, Fort Wayne regained its four-run lead when CF Kai Roberts hit an RBI single in the top of the seventh, which put the TinCaps ahead 5-1.

Soon after, the Captains headed to the home of half of the seventh inning down to their final three outs and trailing by four runs.

After Lake County began the half-frame with a pair of walks, the Captains loaded the bases when Verdugo dropped a pop-up in the infield, which allowed Thompson to reach base. On the next pitch, Lake County SS Jose Devers stepped up to the plate and roped a bases-clearing three-run double down the left field line to cut the deficit to one. This crucial hit extended the 22-year-old's High-A lead to 34 doubles this season.

In the following at-bat, LF Ryan Cesarini tied the game with an RBI double, knotting the score even at 5-5 with still just one out and putting the winning run in scoring position.

Following a four-pitch walk from 3B Juan Benjamin, he and Cesarini advanced to second and third, respectively, after a balk by TinCaps RHP Luis Germán. Lake County then loaded the bases with an intentional walk issued to 1B Maick Collado.

Finally, after 2B Kyle Dernedde worked a 3-0 count, the right-handed hitter was hit by the next pitch, which secured the walk-off win for the Captains.

RHP Tyler Naquin (W, 1-0) earned his first career High-A victory in the Game 2 win, allowing one run on one hit with one walk in the top of the seventh inning, his lone inning of relief.

Fort Wayne RHP Ruben Galindo (L, 1-1) suffered his first loss of the season. After entering the game to begin the bottom of the seventh inning, the right-hander surrendered five runs (four earned) on two hits, while issuing three walks.

The fourth game of this week's scheduled six-game series between the Captains and TinCaps is scheduled for Friday night at 7 p.m. It will be Star Wars Night at the ballpark, where Lake County will host its final Fireworks Friday postgame fireworks show of the 2025 season. 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

- LHP Matt Wilkinson pitched a pro career-high seven innings in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader. This performance came exactly 10 years after the Okotoks, Alberta, Canada native threw 16 strikeouts in five scoreless innings of work for Team Canada against Team Mexico at the 2015 Little League Baseball World Series on Aug. 21, 2015.

- OF Jaison Chourio went 3-for-4 with an RBI triple in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader. The 20-year-old is batting .278 in 18 games played during the month of August.

- INF Jose Devers hit a three-run double in Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader. The Samaná, Dominican Republic native is now just two doubles away from breaking Lake County's individual single-season record of 35 doubles, which is currently held by INF Kevin Kouzmanoff (2004) and C Matt McBride (2007).

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