Jaison Chourio’s big night was enough for the Lake County Captains to beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Saturday night at Neuroscience Group Field. The #5 prospect in the Cleveland Guardians and the brother of Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio, went 4-for-5 with three RBI to lead the Captains to a 5-1 win.
Lake County (55-46 overall, 20-15 second half) scored twice in the first inning. Chourio cashed in the first run with a double to left. Nick Mitchell made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly. Lake County has scored in the first inning in three straight games.
Wisconsin starting pitcher Sam Garcia retired sixteen Captains in a row starting with a sacrifice fly by Mitchell. The streak was snapped after a two-out walk to Ralphy Velazquez in the sixth. Then, Chourio singled for his second hit of the game. Garcia ended the threat with a popup.
Garcia set a new single-game high as a pro for innings pitched (6.0) and strikeouts (7) as he kept his offense within striking distance.
The Rattlers (45-55, 11-24) perked up in the bottom of the sixth inning against Lake County starter Caden Favors as Daniel Guilarte and Luiyin Alastre singled with one out and pulled a double steal. Steward Berroa drove in Guilarte with a grounder to third that scored Guilarte by kept Alastre at second. Yhoswar Garcia followed with an infield single and steal of second that put runners on second and third.
Favors escaped the inning when Hedbert Pérez lined out to second for the third out.
The Captains added an insurance run in the top of the seventh against reliever Stiven Cruz, who walked the lead-off batter and gave up a double to the next Captain. Estaban González drove in the run with a sacrifice fly.
In the eighth, Lake County loaded the bases with one out only to see Cruz ground into an inning-ending 5-2-3 double play.
Tayden Hall started the Wisconsin eighth inning with a double off Tyler Naquin and Alastre walked with one away. Naquin held the lead at two runs with a popup and a grounder to short as both runners were stranded.
However, Chourio sealed the win for the Captains in the ninth. Aaron Rund had one on with two outs when he walked two batters to load the bases for Chourio. A 2-2 pitch just missed to run the count full. Then, Chourio lined a pitch to right for a two-run single for his fourth hit of the game and a 5-1 lead.
Lake County has a 3-2 lead in the series after Saturday night.
The series finale is Sunday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field. Robert Gasser (0-0, 6.00) is set to make another rehabilitation start for the Timber Rattlers. The Captains plan to send Sean Matson (0-0, 6.00) to the mound as their starting pitcher. Game time is 1:10pm.
