The Lake County Captains rode strong pitching for the second straight night to top the Dayton Dragons 5-1.
Dayton used a leadoff double and RBI single from James Vasquez to take an early 1-0 lead in the 1st, but that was the only run they’d score in the game. Captains pitchers have held Dayton to 3 runs over the past 2 games.
The Captains got on the board in the second when Sam Haggerty doubled home David Armendariz, and Anthony Miller hit his first triple of his minor league career to put Lake County up 2-1.
Haggerty extended the lead with a bullet down the left field line that he stretched into an inside the park home run in the 4th. The ball found its way into the left field corner where the visitors’ bullpen sits, and left fielder Zack Shields appeared to put his hands up to signal that the ball was lodged. The umpires didn’t acknowledge the signal, and Shields’ throw was far too late to get Haggerty at the plate.
“It was a little unconventional of a home run, but that’s how it rolled today so I’ll take it,” Haggerty said. “Anytime a guy might put his hands up and the ball could be lodged, you shouldn’t stop running.”
A Willi Castro 2-RBI double later in the inning put the Captains up 5-1. Manager Tony Mansolino said he was pleased with the offensive production.
“We’ve been kind of up and down here recently offensively, but we swung the bats good,” Mansolino said. “We got good at bats; guys were out there battling.”
Captains starter Casey Shane settled down nicely after giving up the run in the 1st. He finished going 6.2 innings, giving up 1 run on 5 hits while walking 3 and striking out 7 en route to his 7th win of the season. Mansolino said Shane’s success started by getting ahead in the count.
“He’s attacking hitters more, believing in his stuff, not trying to be as fine as perfect,” Mansolino said. “He had a shot to get through 7, obviously pretty pleasing for everybody here.”
Kieran Lovegrove relieved Shane in the 7th and pitched an inning and a third of scoreless baseball. Argenis Angulo closed the door with a 1-2-3 9th where he struck out the last 2 batters of the ballgame.
Lake County improves to 58-55 and 18-25 in the second half, remaining 3.5 games back of Lansing for the second half Wild Card spot. The Captains and Dragons will go at it again tomorrow at 7:00. Trevor Foss will start for Lake County while Jesus Reyes gets the nod for Dayton.
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