EASTLAKE, Ohio – In the finale of a six-game series, the Lake County Captains (23-21) defeated the Lansing Lugnuts (19-26) by a final score of 10-0 on Sunday afternoon at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.
With the victory, the Captains won five of six games in this week’s set, good for their second series win of the season.
Lake County received an all-around contribution from its lineup, with eight out of nine Captains reaching base and seven of them logging at least one hit. Also, Lake County’s pitching quartet of LHP Rafe Schlesinger (W, 3-2), RHP Logan McGuire, RHP Xavier Martinez, and RHP Cam Schuelke combined to toss the Captains’ first shutout of the season.
Schlesinger shined in his second start of the series, earning his second win of the set with five scoreless innings and a pro career-high nine strikeouts. The portsider allowed just four hits and one walk in 73 pitches (49 strikes).
After leaving the bases loaded in the second inning, Lake County did not make that mistake once more. The Captains loaded the bases again in the third and capitalized when 3B Luke Hill, MLB Pipeline’s No. 30 Guardians prospect, cleared the bases with a three-run double to give Lake County a lead that was never relinquished.
CF Jace LaViolette, MLB Pipeline’s No. 7 Guardians prospect, would extend his hitting streak to a season-high seven games in the fourth inning with an RBI single. In the fifth, C Bennett Thompson collected his second hit of the day with another RBI single, making it a 5-0 game.
The Captains scored in their fourth straight inning a frame later, as LaViolette clobbered a solo shot the opposite way for the lone run of the sixth inning. This was his eighth home run of the season.
Lake County rounded out the scoring in a big way in the eighth inning, as a grand slam by RF Aaron Walton, MLB Pipeline’s No. 17 prospect, put the Captains in front 10-0.
Lansing RHP Nathan Dettmer (L, 2-1) suffered the loss, permitting five runs on nine hits, walking five and striking out two in five innings of work.
After an off day on Monday, May 25, the Captains will begin a 12-game road trip with a six-game series against the Beloit Sky Carp. First pitch for the series opener is scheduled for Tuesday night, May 26, at 7:05 p.m. from ABC Supply Stadium in Beloit, Wisconsin. The game will be broadcast on the Bally Sports Live App, the MiLB App, and StreamGuys, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on X and Instagram.
NOTES TO KNOW
- LHP Rafe Schlesinger earned the win in both of his starts during this week’s series versus Lansing. The 2024 fourth-round pick out of Miami (FL) threw 14 strikeouts to just one walk in 11 combined innings of work, holding the Lugnuts to a .179 batting average.
- OF Jace LaViolette extended his hitting streak to seven games with a solo home run and an RBI single on Sunday afternoon. The 2025 first-round pick out of Texas A&M is batting .429 (12-for-28) with 11 runs, three doubles, one triple, three home runs, 11 RBI, and a 1.429 OPS during this span.
- RHP Cam Schuelke pitched a scoreless ninth inning out of the Captains bullpen on Sunday afternoon. The 2024 19th-round pick out of Mississippi State owns a 0.48 ERA in 14 relief appearances this season, allowing just one earned run in 18.2 innings pitched.
- The Captains outscored the Lugnuts 55-16 during this week’s six-game series. Lake County’s 55 runs are its most in a six-game homestand since this series format began in 2021.
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.