Guardians Prospect Kahlil Watson Sparks 5-Run Rally to help Captains Defeat Cubs

Photo by Al Kornspan

Eastlake – Traded to the Guardians organization in a trade for Josh Bell on August 1st, Kahlil Watson joined the Lake County Captains on August 3rd in Michigan.

Watson returned to Northeast  Ohio with his Captains teammates to play in his first game in Northeast Ohio as part of the Guardians organization on Tuesday night.  

Watson’s first time in front of the hometown crowd in Northeast Ohio will certainly be memorable as he came through in the clutch and delivered a game-tying bases loaded single in the Captain’s 7-5 victory.

The Captains took an early 1-0  lead in the second inning when Jorge Burgos doubled to drive in Joe Lampe from first base.

The Cubs then scored four runs in the top of the third inning and the Captains added a run in the fifth. 

The Cubs scored a run in the top of the seventh inning to take a 5-2 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Captains rallied for five runs to take a 7-5 lead.

The Captains scored first in the seventh with one out when Jorge Burgos singled. Will Bartlett followed with a walk and then Zac Fascia was hit by the pitch.  

Guardians seventh ranked top prospect, Jake Fox, drove in the first run of the seventh as he drew a bases loaded walk to make the score 5-3.

This set the stage for Watson, the former 2021 first round 1 MLB draft pick of the Miami Marlins.

Watson, currently the 14th top ranked prospect in the Guardians organization, singled to right field on a 

2-2 pitch to drive in Will Bartlett and Zac Fascia, and tie the game at five.

Still in the bottom of the seventh, the Captains scored the go ahead runs when Guardians 26th ranked top prospect Dayan Frias singled to right field to drive in Watson and Fox and make the final score 7-5.

Picking up the victory for the Captains was Trenton Denholm who pitched three innings giving up one run on 3 hits and striking out three.

Pitching the ninth and earning the save for the Captains was Lenny Torres Jr.

The Captains are back in action on Wednesday afternoon at 12:05pm.