EASTLAKE, Ohio – In Game 5 of a six-game series, the Lake County Captains (53-44, 16-17) fell to the South Bend Cubs (60-37, 21-14) by a final score of 10-3 on Saturday night at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.
South Bend reached the 10-run mark for the third game in a row, plating 10 runs with a 17-hit effort, while limiting Lake County to three runs on four hits.
The Cubs wasted no time striking first, as an RBI single by 3B Matt Halbach put the visitors out in front 1-0.
But Lake County responded in the bottom of the inning, tying the game with a sacrifice fly from SS Welbyn Francisca, MLB Pipeline’s No. 13 Guardians prospect.
After South Bend entered the contest with 12 home runs over the first four games of the series, Cubs 2B Michael Hallquist added another with a two-run shot in the second inning to make it a 3-1 ballgame.
Captains CF Esteban González helped Lake County get a run back in the bottom of the second by blasting a solo home run, his 13th long ball of the year.
South Bend quickly answered in the third, loading up the bases before DH Kane Kepley, MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 Cubs prospect, drew a walk to put the Cubs in front 4-2.
Hallquist struck once more in the fifth, launching his second home run of the night to make it a 5-2 contest. In the home half of the frame, Francisca logged his second RBI of the night with a fielder’s choice.
But South Bend blew the game open with a four-run sixth inning. 1B Michael Carico logged an RBI double before an RBI single from RF Geuri Lubo, which induced a throwing error from Lake County 2B Garrett Howe that allowed another run to score. An RBI double from SS Angel Cepeda, MLB Pipeline’s No. 24 Cubs prospect, then gave the visitors a 9-3 advantage.
The Cubs eventually tacked on the game’s final run in the seventh, courtesy of another RBI single from Lubo.
LHP Jackson Brockett (W, 7-2) earned the win for South Bend with a dominant relief effort, throwing five strikeouts in three scoreless innings out of the bullpen. LHP Harrison Bodendorf (L, 0-1) suffered the loss for the Captains, surrendering four runs on eight hits in three innings of work, striking out four and walking three
The finale of this week’s six-game series between the Captains and Cubs is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, Aug. 2, at 1 p.m. Lake County will continue to celebrate State Fair Weekend presented by Ohio Mobile Gaming. It will also be Family Fun Sunday presented by Classic Auto Group, which will feature pregame catch on the field and player autographs on the concourse, plus postgame kids run the bases. Plus, the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a Parker Messick Bobblehead presented by Ohio Lottery.
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
- OF Esteban González hit his 13th home run of the season on Saturday night. The Maracaibo, Venezuela native is batting .306 with 15 hits, four doubles, three home runs, five RBI, and a 1.006 OPS in his last 15 games.
- INF Garrett Howe reached base in all four of his plate appearances on Saturday night with a double and three walks. The 2024 11th-round pick out of Samford is batting .323 with 10 hits, four doubles, one home run, 10 RBI, and a .958 OPS in his last nine games.
- OF Jonah Advincula reached base three times on Saturday night with a double, a single, and a walk. The 2023 eighth-round pick out of Washington State is batting .326 with 14 hits, 12 RBI, 13 walks, 11 stolen bases, and a 1.043 OPS in 12 games for the Captains this 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.