MWL Lake County Captains

Ninth-Inning Rally Falls One Run Short

Published on July 17, 2021 under Midwest League (MWL)
Lake County Captains News Release


(Lansing, MI) - The Lake County Captains (35-30) nearly overcame a four-run deficit in the ninth inning on Saturday night, but came up just short in a 7-6 loss to the Lansing Lugnuts (31-34) at Jackson Field.

The Captains got on the board just three batters into the ballgame. Will Brennan punched a leadoff double down the left field line and Lugnuts starter Colin Peluse walked George Valera. After a passed ball moved the runners up to second and third, Bryan Lavastida lifted a sacrifice fly to center that scored Brennan from third to give the Captains a 1-0 lead.

Inconsistent defense cost the Captains in the bottom of the first. Shane Selman led off the inning with a grounder to third and Raynel Delgado sailed the throw into the crowd to put Selman on second. Cobie Vance then bounced a grounder to the shortstop hole and José Tena threw out Selman who was trying to advance to third. Michael Guldberg came up next and hit a hard smash to third, but Delgado made a diving stop and threw out Guldberg at first for the second out. With two outs and Vance on second, however, Austin Beck drilled a two-run homer off the left field videoboard to give the Lugnuts a 2-1 lead.

The Captains knotted the score in the top of the third on three singles. Brennan singled with one out, Lavastida then singled to put two aboard and Tena bounced a grounder into right to plate Brennan and tie the game at 2-2.

Another homer put Lansing ahead in the bottom of the third. With one out and the bases empty, Vance hit a solo homer that just snuck over the 23-foot high wall in left for a solo shot to give the Lugnuts a 3-2 lead. Guldberg then reached second base on an infield single and a throwing error by Delgado. Two batters later, Díaz lined a single to left that scored Guldberg and gave the Lugnuts a 4-2 lead.

Lake County squandered a golden opportunity in the fifth. Valera walked to begin the frame and Lavastida doubled down the left field line. Lugnuts Manager Scott Steinmann argued with Home Plate Umpire Jen Pawol after Lavastida's two-base-hit and was tossed from the game. Peluse then struck out the next two hitters, Tena and

Joe Naranjo, and got Delgado to fly out to left to end the inning. A Valera blast pulled the Captains closer in the seventh. Leading off the inning against reliever Leudeny Pineda, Valera hit a high drive over the 20-foot high wall in left-center to cut the Lugnuts' lead to 4-3.

Another timely home run expanded Lansing's lead in the bottom of the seventh. Lefty Tim Herrin had pitched a scoreless sixth in relief of starter Hunter Gaddis, but Jared McDonald began the seventh with a single off of Herrin. Vance singled two batters later and Guldberg pulled a three-run homer off the left field foul pole to give the Lugnuts a 7-3 lead.

The Captains fought back in the top of the ninth and nearly tied the score against Lugnuts lefty Dalton Sawyer. Brennan singled with one out and Sawyer walked Valera to bring the tying run to the on deck circle. Lavastida then launched a double to left that scored Brennan and cut the Lansing lead to 7-4. With Valera on third and Lavastida on second, Tena ripped a line drive single up the middle to score both runners and trim the Lugnuts' lead to just one run. Sawyer, however, struck out Naranjo and Delgado to end the ballgame.

Peluse (3-2) earned the win for Lansing. The right-hander allowed two runs, one earned, over five innings. He struck out five, walked three and surrendered seven hits.

Gaddis (2-5) took the loss for the Captains. The starter surrendered four runs, only one of which was earned, across five innings. Gaddis struck out six, walked none and allowed six hits.

Mason Hickman gets the ball for the Captains in the series finale on Sunday. First pitch at Jackson Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Check out the Lake County Captains Statistics

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