EASTLAKE, Ohio – In the finale of a six-game series and the final game of their 2026 season, the Lake County Captains (69-59, 32-32) fell to the Great Lakes Loons (75-54, 39-26) by a final score of 4-2 on Sunday afternoon at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.
One day after the Captains finished 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, the Captains once again could not capitalize with runners on base. On Sunday afternoon, Lake County went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position while leaving 14 runners aboard. The Captains left the bases loaded in three consecutive innings across the second, third, and fourth frames.
It did not take long for the home side to strike first. After hitting an infield single, SS Dauri Fernández, MLB Pipeline’s No. 22 Guardians prospect, stole second base. The speedy infielder then swiped third moments later, inducing a throwing error from Great Lakes SS Mairo Martinus that allowed him to score the game’s first run.
Lake County tacked on another run an inning later, as 3B Juan Benjamin roped an RBI double to double the Captains’ lead, his seventh double of the season.
The Loons got a run back in the fourth frame, cutting their deficit to 2-1 with an RBI single from 3B Eduardo Guerrero. This marked Lake County’s final lead of the contest.
The visitors did more damage in the following inning, as Great Lakes took the lead for good with a two-run home run by C Anson Aroz. The long ball marked the first home run and first two RBI of his High-A career.
Both bullpens then combined to toss three innings of scoreless baseball before the Loons added an insurance run in the ninth with another RBI single from Guerrero.
The Captains put together a two-out rally in the ninth inning, sending the potential game-winning run to the plate. C Cannon Peebles drew his fourth walk of the afternoon, and LF José Pirela nearly hit a game-tying two-run home run, settling for a hard-hit single off the right-field wall. But Lake County’s comeback effort fell just short, as Benjamin flew out into foul territory to end the ballgame.
LHP Justin Chambers (W, 1-2) earned the win for the Loons, allowing one hit in 1.1 scoreless innings of relief, striking out one and walking one.
LHP Harrison Bodendorf (L, 1-3) suffered the loss for Lake County, allowing three runs on three hits in 4.2 innings of work, throwing six strikeouts while walking three.
RHP Issac Ayon (S, 3) earned the save for Great Lakes, surrendering just one hit in two scoreless innings of relief, striking out two and walking two.
The 2027 campaign will mark the Captains’ 25th Anniversary season.
Lake County will open its 2027 season with a three-game road series against the West Michigan Whitecaps. First pitch for the Captains’ 2027 season opener is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2027 at a time to be determined from LMCU Ballpark in Comstock Park, Michigan.
Lake County will begin its 2027 home schedule with a six-game series versus the Dayton Dragons. First pitch for the Captains’ 2027 home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, April 6, 2027 at a time to be determined from Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake. Tickets will be available for purchase at a later date at MiLB.com/lake-county/tickets.
Lake County’s 2027 games will be broadcast on the Bally Sports Live App, the MiLB App, MLB+, and StreamGuys, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on X and Instagram.
NOTES TO KNOW
- C Cannon Peebles extended his on-base streak to 18 games with four walks on Sunday afternoon, ending his 2026 season with the second-longest on-base streak by a Captain this season. The 2025 17th-round pick out of Tennessee led High-A with a .512 on-base percentage during this span (since Aug. 6).
- OF José Pirela recorded the second three-hit game of his High-A career on Sunday afternoon, joining his three-hit performance on Aug. 25 at Cedar Rapids. The 20-year-old batted .306 with 26 hits, seven doubles, five home runs, 22 RBI, and a .986 OPS in 23 games with the Captains to end his 2026 season.
- INF/LF Juan Benjamin went 1-for-4 with an RBI double on Sunday afternoon. The 23-year-old batted .318 with seven hits, two doubles, one home run, six RBI, and a .920 OPS over his final seven games for the Captains in 2026.
- LHP Harrison Bodendorf threw six strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work on Sunday afternoon. The 2025 10th-round pick out of Oklahoma State threw 13 strikeouts across 9.2 innings pitched in two starts versus Great Lakes to end his 2026 season.
About the Lake County Captains:
The Lake County Captains are the professional High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians located in Eastlake, Ohio. Our mission is to honor the rich history of our organization, while also introducing baseball to a new generation of fans through innovative means. We are committed to supporting our community, sports teams, and each other by demonstrating passion and having fun every day.