EASTLAKE, Ohio – In Game 3 of a six-game series, the Lake County Captains (47-33, 11-6) defeated the Lansing Lugnuts (33-49, 4-14) by a final score of 8-7 on Thursday night at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake
Despite a furious late Lugnut comeback, the difference in the game came in the first inning, as the Captains offense plated five runs on six hits, five of which went for extra bases.
Before Lake County could step up to the plate, Lansing jumped on the board first when 1B Jared Sprague-Lott launched a leadoff home run to give the Lugnuts an early 1-0 lead.
Their lead wouldn’t last long, however, as each of the first four Captains batters reached base and scored. After 2B Tommy Hawke began Lake County’s first-inning blitz with a leadoff double, CF Aaron Walton, MLB Pipeline’s No. 16 Guardians prospect, immediately tied the game with an RBI double. One batter later, he would be brought home on a two-run blast from RF Jace LaViolette, MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 Guardians prospect. The momentum wouldn’t stop there, as 1B Nolan Schubart, MLB Pipeline’s No. 28 Guardians prospect, launched a solo home run over the batter’s eye just two pitches later.
Following an eventual two-out double from DH Esteban González, 3B Garrett Howe put a bow on the frame with an RBI single to make it a 5-1 ballgame.
The Captains got back on the board in the third inning with a solo home run from González. An RBI single from C Logun Clark two batters later pushed another run across for Lake County.
In the fifth, the Lugnuts tacked on another run with an RBI single from 2B Gunner Gouldsmith. But Lake County quickly responded in the home half of the inning with its fourth long ball of the night, a no-doubt solo shot from LF Ryan Cesarini.
Lansing turned on the jets in the sixth inning, as RF Pedro Pineda came through with a solo homer of his own to begin a stretch of five unanswered Lugnuts runs. Pineda struck again in the eighth, driving in another run with an RBI single. Lansing would then push another run across on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Sprague-Lott.
The Lake County lead only shrank in the ninth, as the Lugnuts made it a one-run game with a towering two-run blast from LF Myles Naylor. But Captains RHP Jogly García (S, 2) retired the next two Lansing hitters to end the game.
LHP Michael Kennedy (W, 9-3) earned the win for Lake County, allowing two runs on five hits in five innings of work, striking out four and walking one.
RHP Mitch Myers (L, 0-3) suffered the loss for the Lugnuts, allowing eight runs on 12 hits and striking out five without a walk in 4.2 innings pitched.
García earned his second straight save for the Captains, allowing two runs on one hit in two innings out of the bullpen, striking out one and walking one.
Game 4 of this week’s six-game series between the Captains and Lugnuts is scheduled for Friday night, July 10, at 7 p.m. Lake County will celebrate Monsters Hockey Night presented by the Cleveland Monsters with a postgame Fireworks Friday show presented by Discount Drug Mart. 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 Jace LaViolette hit his 14th home run of the season on Thursday night. The 2025 first-round pick out of Texas A&M is batting .371 with five home runs, 12 RBI, and a 1.406 OPS in nine games against the Lansing Lugnuts this season.
- 1B/OF Nolan Schubart extended his on-base streak to 40 games with a solo home run on Thursday night. The 2025 3rd-round pick out of Oklahoma State is batting .311 with 46 hits, 10 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 45 RBI, 35 walks, and a 1.119 OPS during this span. This marks the longest on-base streak by a Captain since at least 2005 and is tied for the sixth-longest on-base streak in the Midwest League since 2005.
- OF Ryan Cesarini hit his seventh home run of the season on Thursday night. This marked the first home run for the 2024 14th-round pick out of Saint Joseph’s since May 7 in Game 1 of a doubleheader versus the Great Lakes Loons.
- The Captains logged five extra-base hits (three doubles and two home runs) in the first inning on Thursday night, tying their most extra-base hits in an inning since at least 2005. This marked Lake County’s first time logging five extra-base hits in an inning since Aug. 23, 2018 versus the South Bend Cubs, when the Captains hit four doubles and a home run in the first inning.
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.