Cougars fall to Lake County Captains
EASTLAKE, Ohio - With a lack of offensive production alongside adverse bullpen work, the Kane County Cougars (13-13, 52-41) succumbed to the home run prowess of the host Lake County Captains (12-13, 39-55) by a 6-1 final. The Cougars never had the lead in the ballgame to start this six-game road trip, playing at Lake County for the first time since June 14, 2015.
With righty Sam Lewis (3-2) on the slab, the Captains greeted the Cougars starter with a moon shot. On the game's first pitch, outfielder Conner Capel blasted his 14th home run of the season out of the stadium past deep right field.
In the third, the Cougars tied the game, 1-1, taking advantage of an erratic lefty starter, Brady Aiken (3-10). The Indians 2015 first round pick allowed a leadoff walk to Anfernee Grier, followed by a fielder's choice grounder to Luis Silverio. Manny Jefferson then swatted a triple to straightaway center field as Silverio scored all the way from first.
But the Captains would claim the lead once again in the home half of the fifth inning. With Lewis still on the slab and Luke Wakamatsu on first, Michael Tinsley tripled to left-center field, as the ball banged off the wall, allowing Wakamatsu to hustle home. The Captains led 2-1 after five frames.
Aiken ended up the winning pitcher giving up a single run in five frames, battling through four walks on just two strikeouts. In a losing effort, Lewis lasted four and one-third innings on three hits, two runs, and five strikeouts next to two walks. Adding another run against the Cougars bullpen, the Captains eked out another tally in the seventh. With the bases loaded, Capel grounded into a double play, but a run scored, charged to southpaw Junior Garcia (1-0).
The Captains would go on to score three more runs on a pair of homers. After righty Jake Winston (1-1) gave up a single, he was pulled for righty Cody Clark (0-1) in the eighth. The Captains came up with back-to-back jacks, a two-run shot by Li-Jen Chu, and a solo homer for Jose Medina.
The Cougars play game two with the Captains at 10 a.m. on Thursday. On the mound for the Cougars, right-hander Emilio Vargas (3-4, 3.59 ERA) duels Lake County's lefty Juan Hillman (5-4, 5.12 ERA).