Middle innings propel Captains past Carp

EASTLAKE, OH -- Lake County used four runs in the middle innings and timely pitching to down the Sky Carp 5-2 on Thursday night at Classic Park.

The game opened in favor of Beloit, as Zach Zubia blasted an opposite field, 400-foot solo homer in the top of the first to give the Sky Carp a 1-0 advantage.

Beloit starter Cade Gibson looked sharp early, recording zeros in the first and second.

The Captains got on the board with a game-tying RBI single from Milan Tolentino in the third inning, and took the lead on a Victor Planchart knock in the fourth – both coming with two outs.

Lake County boosted its lead to 3-1 with a Joe Donovan solo homer in the fifth and scored once more on a throwing error to make it 4-1.

The Sky Carp got a run back in the sixth as Joe Mack drove in Zubia on an RBI ground out.

The Captains quickly responded, though, scoring on a Junior Sanquintin bloop RBI double in the bottom of the inning.

Beloit didn’t go down without a fight and loaded the bases in the seventh, but Lake County reliever Alaska Abney induced a 4-6-3 inning-ending double play to avert damage. Davis Bradshaw singled in the eighth, but before a threat could materialize, Abney induced another inning-ending double play.

Captains closer Tyler Thornton struck out the side in the top of the ninth to end the game quietly.

The six-game set resumes Friday evening at 7:00 eastern time, with Alex Williams scheduled to start for Beloit.

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