EASTLAKE, Ohio – In the first game of a scheduled six-game series, the Lake County Captains (11-11) fell to the Beloit Sky Carp (9-12) by a final score of 10-9 on Tuesday night at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.
In a game in which it never led, Lake County brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth but could not get over the hump.
Beloit found the scoreboard first, striking for a run with a sacrifice fly in the second inning before C Connor Caskenette drove in a run with a double to center in the third.
The Sky Carp continued to score, pushing two more runs across in the fourth, highlighted by an RBI triple by 2B Juan Matheus.
The Captains got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning behind a pair of homers. LF Aaron Walton, MLB Pipeline’s No. 18 Guardians prospect, blasted a solo home run to begin the scoring, his third long ball of the year. And after C Bennett Thompson reached base on an error, 1B Nolan Schubart, MLB Pipeline’s No. 27 Guardians prospect, came through with a two-run shot to bring Lake County within one run, his fourth homer of the season.
Beloit, however, continued to score the next inning, grabbing all three runs back on a two-out, bases-clearing double by SS Aiva Arquette, MLB Pipeline’s No. 3 Marlins and No. 41 MLB prospect.
Lake County struck back for one run in the bottom half of the fifth, as Thompson lined an RBI single to left to make it a 7-4 game.
The dueling offenses continued to flow in the sixth inning as the Sky Carp scored another pair, including a solo homer from CF Colby Shade.
The Captains once again responded in kind, scoring a run on a wild pitch before SS Dean Curley, MLB Pipeline’s No. 13 Guardians prospect, drove in another run with an RBI single.
After another Beloit run in the top of the seventh, Lake County pushed another pair across in the bottom of the inning with an RBI groundout from 3B Luke Hill, MLB Pipeline’s No. 30 Guardians prospect, and another run scoring on a wild pitch.
Lake County quickly put a pair of runners aboard in the ninth before an errant throw on a stolen base by RF Ryan Cesarini allowed Schubart to scamper home from third and score, making it a one-run game. But Sky Carp RHP Holt Jones (S, 1) escaped the jam and ended the Captains’ comeback. Jones earned the save for Beloit, allowing one run on one hit and issuing a walk.
LHP Jackson Humphries (L, 0-2) suffered the loss for Lake County, giving up two runs on two hits in three innings of work, walking six and punching out four.
RHP Mason Vinyard (W, 1-0) earned the win in his Marlins organization debut, tossing an inning of one-run ball, allowing a hit and a walk, while striking out one Captain out of the Beloit bullpen.
The second game of this week’s scheduled six-game series between the Captains and Sky Carp is scheduled for Wednesday night, April 29, at 6:35 p.m. Lake County will celebrate International Dance Day at the ballpark. The game will be broadcast on the Bally Sports Live App, MLB.TV, the MiLB App, and StreamGuys, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on X and Instagram.
NOTES TO KNOW
- C Bennett Thompson reached base in three of his five plate appearances on Tuesday night, going 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a walk. The 2024 13th-round pick out of Oregon leads MiLB with a .561 on-base percentage this season.
- 1B Nolan Schubart extended his hitting streak to five games with a two-run home run on Tuesday night. The 2025 third-round pick out of Oklahoma State is batting .294 with three home runs, six RBI, an .824 slugging percentage, and a 1.302 OPS during this span.
- LHP Jackson Humphries threw four strikeouts in three innings on Tuesday night. The 2022 eighth-round pick out of Fuquay-Varina HS (NC) is the first Midwest League pitcher to throw 30 strikeouts 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.