It was the Captains Opening Day at Classic Park and the defending Midwest League East Division champions wasted little time putting runs on the board.
Two walks and a HBP loaded the bases for the Captains in the bottom of the first inning. CF Jorge Burgos took advantage of the situation and took his first pitch deep into the stands for a grand slam and his first hit of the season to give the Captains a 4-0 lead heading into the second.
Four strikeouts from starting pitcher Tommy Mace through two innings and an attempted stolen base at home foiled by third baseman Dayan Frias kept the score 4-0 through two.
Photo by Garrick Pitt
Joe Lampe and Isaiah Greene opened the bottom of the third inning with a pair of walks to put runners on first and second for Lake County. Will Bartlett came up next for the Captains and reached second base on a fielders choice. An error by Dayton’s third baseman Austin Callahan allowed both Lampe and Greene to cross the plate to increase the Captains lead 6-0. A double from catcher Micael Ramirez would drive in Bartlett before innings end to push the Captains lead 7-0.
Another pair of walks, this time for Juan Brito and Isaiah Greene put runners on first and second for the Captains in the bottom of the fourth. Facing a 0-1 count with two outs, CF Jorge Burgos got his second hit of the night and singled to right field to drive home Juan Brito to put the Captains up 8-0.
Photo by Garrick Pitt
Dayton found some life to open up the top of the fifth inning. OF Jack Rogers hit a line drive deep into center field for a triple, his first hit of the day. OF Justice Thompson gave his OF a little help with a double of his own to drive in the run and put the Dragons on the board for the first time.
Dayton, facing two outs in the top of the fifth, were able to load the bases on two walks surrendered to the Dragon’s Tyler Callihan and Matheu Nelson but could not capitalize of the situation as the comeback attempt fell short at the hands of a strikeout to keep the Captains lead at 8-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
It was relatively quiet over the next few innings with each teams trading hits back and forth but unable to score.
The Dragons took to the plate to open up the ninth with the hopes of putting together one last comeback attempt. They didn’t get off to a great start. Captains closer Franco Aleman took the mound and struck out the first two batters he faced to pull within one out for the win.
Not to go down easily, Tyler Callihan drew his second walk of the night to put a man on first for the Dragons. Matheu Nelson kept the inning alive with a ground ball single to advance Callihan to second with two outs. Austin Hendrick followed that up with a high fly double to center field to drive home Callihan and Matheu to bring the score to 8-3.
Unfortunately for the Dragons, this would be the last bit of momentum they would have as Aleman would go on to strike out Austin Callahan to end the ballgame and give the Captains their first victory of the season.
The Captains are back at Classic Park on Friday night for game two of their three game series against the Dragons First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm
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