
Captains Split Season-Opening Doubleheader Against Whitecaps
Published on April 6, 2024 under Midwest League (MWL)
Lake County Captains News Release
EASTLAKE, OH - The Lake County Captains (0-1) fell to the West Michigan Whitecaps (1-0) by a score of 2-0 to begin their 21st season.
Whitecaps 3B Luke Gold plated the game's only two runs in the 2024 season opener.
In the top of the first inning, Gold hit into a 6-4-3 double play to score CF Seth Stephenson, who reached on an error in center field.
The Captains were held to just two hits and were hitless in the game's final four innings. Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, 1B C.J. Kayfus led off with a hit-by-pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch, But West Michigan RHP Colin Fields retired the next three batters to leave him stranded.
In the ensuing half-inning, Gold homered to left field off of RHP Alaska Abney for the game's final run.
Then, in the bottom of the seventh, Whitecaps RHP Trevin Michael struck out DH Jorge Burgos and got Kayfus to ground into a game-ending double play.
Lake County LHP Parker Messick (0-1) pitched five innings, allowing one unearned run, while striking out five. Messick's first start of the season marked the fourth straight year in which he has started an Opening Day game, dating back to February 20, 2021 while at Florida State.
West Michigan RHP Garrett Burhenn allowed just two hits, striking out six batters in 3.1 innings as the Whitecaps' Opening Day starter. RHP Tanner Kohlhepp, one of four Whitecaps relievers, pitched a scoreless sixth inning to earn the victory.
Game 2
The Lake County Captains (1-1) earned their first win of the 2024 season in the second game of their season-opening doubleheader with a 3-1 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps (1-1).
West Michigan struck first for the second straight game when 3B Izaac Pacheco hit a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the first inning to give the Whitecaps 1-0 advantage.
But after allowing three of the first five Whitecaps batters to reach, RHP Austin Peterson (1-0) retired 13 of the last 14 hitters he faced, with nine of them being strikeouts. Peterson's nine strikeouts were the most strikeouts by a Lake County pitcher in their debut with the team since LHP Will Dion also struck out nine on September 2, 2022 at Great Lakes.
Peterson ultimately pitched five innings in his High-A debut, allowing just three hits, one earned run, and one walk in 69 pitches (49 strikes).
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, RF Jorge Burgos hit a three-run double to give Lake County a 3-1 lead. Burgos continued his opening day heroics, as he hit a grand slam on the first High-A pitch he saw in the Captains' 8-3 win over Dayton on April 6, 2023. The double marked Burgos' team-high second hit of the game, and his 17th multi-hit game in two seasons as a Captain.
RHP Josh Wolf pitched a scoreless sixth inning, fanning two and walking one to set up RHP Magnus Ellerts for the save in the seventh. Ellerts ultimately earned his first save of the season, walking one and striking out two, for his fourth save as a Captain in 17 appearances.
First pitch for the finale of this weekend's scheduled three-game series between the Captains and Whitecaps is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. It will be Family Fun Sunday at the ballpark, where Lake County will continue its "Total Eclipse of the Park" celebration. The game will be broadcasted on both the Bally Live app and MiLB.TV, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on both X and Instagram.
Midwest League Stories from April 6, 2024
- Cubs Fall in Extras to 'Bandits 3-2 - South Bend Cubs
- Captains Split Season-Opening Doubleheader Against Whitecaps - Lake County Captains
- 'Caps Open 2024 with a Win - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Cameron Barstad's Walk-Off Two-Run Single Lifts Beloit over Cedar Rapids 2-1 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Four-Run Fifth Inning Pushes Wisconsin Past Peoria - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Loons Stave off Late TinCaps Push, Earn First 2-0 Start Since 2015 - Great Lakes Loons
- Four-Run Inning Does in Chiefs Saturday - Peoria Chiefs
- TinCaps' Rally Falls Short - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Hunter, Collier Blast Home Runs in Dragons 8-5 Win on Saturday - Dayton Dragons
- TinCaps Game Information: April 6 at Great Lakes - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Dayton Dragons GameDay Notes for Saturday, April 6 - Dayton Dragons
- South Bend Takes Opening Day Duel in Quad Cities 3-1 - South Bend Cubs
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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