Game Report 2 - 5/4/2023 - Fort Wayne TinCaps (SD) @ Lake County Captains (CLE)

The second game in a doubleheader between the High-A affiliates of the San Diego Padres & Cleveland Guardians, this is the second game report of the 2023 MiLB season

The second game in the doubleheader between the Fort Wayne TinCaps and Lake County Captains began around seven o’clock p.m. The temperature was in the low fifties.

Making his third start and fourth appearance of the year for Lake County, starting pitcher Reid Johnston had a 5.06 ERA in 10.2 innings pitched. He went four innings, allowing one run and one hit. He accrued nine strikeouts to go with three walks. He also hit one opposing batter.

19-year-old starting pitcher Victor Lizarraga made the start for Fort Wayne. He signed with the Padres as an international amateur free agent during the 2021 signing period out of Mexico. Almost five years younger than the average player in the Midwest League, he had a 6.75 ERA across 10.2 entering Thursday evening’s game.

To begin the game Johnston hit leadoff batter, Jakob Marsee. Drafted in the 6th round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Central Michigan University by San Diego, he extended an on-base streak to four games. In a little over 100 plate appearances with San Diego’s High-A affiliate in 2023, Marsee has a .438 on-base percentage.

In the following plate appearance, Johnston would allow shortstop Jackson Merrill to get on base via a walk. After a fly out by Marcos Castonon and a stolen base by Marsee, Nathan Martorella hit a sacrifice fly to put Fort Wayne up 1-0 early in the game. Two Fort Wayne batters would draw walks to load the bases before Brandon Valenzuela struck out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the first inning, Yordys Valdes hit a leadoff single before Milan Tolentino grounded into a fielder’s choice where Valdes would be out at second base. Tolentino would steal second base with Lampe at bat, who would line out to center field. Batting fourth, Victor Planchart would fly out to left field to end the inning.

With two outs in the top of the second inning, lead-off batter Jakob Marsee would reach first via a bunt single before stealing second base. In his fourth straight game getting on base multiple times, Fort Wayne would fail to score. In the bottom of the second inning, Lake County quickly recorded three outs on three harmless flyballs.