EASTLAKE, Ohio – In Games 3 and 4 of a seven-game series, the Lake County Captains (58-50, 21-23) split a seven-inning doubleheader with the Dayton Dragons (58-52, 19-25) on Thursday at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.
The Captains fell in Game 1 by a final score of 3-1, but took Game 2 by a final score of 4-3 thanks to a walk-off single from 1B/DH Riley Nelson. Lake County has split all five of its doubleheaders played this season.
**GAME 1
**In Game 1, the Captains fell to the Dragons 3-1 after being held to just three hits.
After a scoreless opening two innings, Dayton struck first in the third frame when 3B Tyson Lewis, MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 Reds prospect, collected an RBI knock to put the Dragons in front 1-0.
An inning later, Dayton RF Mason Neville clobbered a solo home run to double the visitors’ lead, giving the Dragons a 2-0 advantage.
LF Luis De La Cruz got the Captains on the board in the bottom of the fourth, cutting Lake County’s deficit in half with a two-out, RBI ground-rule double.
Lewis struck once more in the fifth, pushing across another Dragons run with a sacrifice fly, making it a 3-1 contest. The final nine Captains hitters were eventually retired in order.
RHP Brady Afthim (W, 3-0) earned the win for Dayton, tossing 1.1 scoreless, hitless innings of relief, punching out two and walking two.
LHP Jackson Humphries (L, 1-6) suffered the loss for Lake County, giving up three runs on five hits in 4.2 innings of work, striking out four and walking three.
RHP Trent Hodgdon (S, 9) earned the save with two perfect innings out of the Dragons' bullpen, striking out one.
GAME 2
In Game 2, the Captains secured a doubleheader split with a 4-3 win courtesy of a walk-off RBI single from DH Riley Nelson in the seventh inning.
Lake County jumped in front early, as a two-run home run from 3B Jeffrey Mercedes in the first inning gave the Captains a 2-0 advantage. This was his 11th long ball of the season.
The Dragons promptly answered with runs in each of the next two frames, courtesy of a sacrifice fly from RF Esmith Pineda in the second and a solo home run from 1B John Michael Faile in the third, his ninth homer of the year.
But Lake County quickly retook the lead in the home half of the third when LF Luis De La Cruz began the half-frame with a solo blast, his first homer at the High-A level.
Following scoreless fourth and fifth innings from both sides, Faile tied the game with a two-out RBI single in the sixth. After Dayton DH Ryan McCrystal walked to load the bases, CF/RF Mason Neville grounded out to keep the game deadlocked at 3-3.
Lake County eventually logged three straight singles in the seventh inning to come away with the victory. CF Tommy Hawke began the rally with a base hit the other way before advancing to second on a bunt single from De La Cruz, his second hit of the game. Nelson finally ended the night with his walk-off knock, putting a bow on the Captains’ fifth walk-off victory of the season.
RHP Conner Whittaker (W, 2-0) earned the win for Lake County, tossing a scoreless seventh inning of relief out of the bullpen and stranding two Dragons on base.
LHP Graham Osman (L, 2-2) suffered the loss for Dayton, surrendering one run on three hits in 0.2 innings of work, walking one without a strikeout.
Game 5 of this week’s seven-game series between the Captains and Dragons is scheduled for Friday night, Aug. 14, at 7 p.m. Lake County will host Stand Up to Cancer Night at the ballpark, with a postgame Fireworks Friday show presented by Minutemen. 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 Luis De La Cruz extended his on-base streak to 16 games across Lake County (10 games) and Single-A Hill City (six games) with a solo home run, an RBI ground-rule double, and a single across both games of Thursday’s doubleheader. The 19-year-old is batting .367 with 22 hits, seven doubles, one triple, three home runs, 15 RBI, seven walks, seven stolen bases, and a 1.100 OPS during this span.
- RHP Zane Petty (ND) tossed 2.1 scoreless innings of relief in his High-A debut in Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader. The 2025 18th-round pick out of Texas Tech allowed three hits and one walk, striking out four.
- INF Welbyn Francisca, MLB Pipeline’s No. 21 Guardians prospect, extended his hitting streak to eight games with a double in Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader. The 20-year-old is batting .424 with 14 hits, five doubles, five home runs, eight RBI, and a 1.502 OPS during this span.
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.