Hajjar’s Heroic Start Pushes Captains to Series-Opening Victory over Peoria

EASTLAKE, Ohio – In Game 1 of a series-opening doubleheader, the Lake County Captains (20-21, 50-55) defeated the Peoria Chiefs (25-18, 58-51) by a final score of 5-1 in 7 innings on Wednesday afternoon at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.

This marks Lake County’s third consecutive victory, and fifth in their last six games.

Steve Hajjar (2-3) had arguably the best start of his High-A career. The left-hander tied his Minor League career-high of 6 innings pitched, allowing just 2 hits, one earned run, and 3 walks, while throwing 8 strikeouts, his most in a High-A game, in 88 pitches (55 strikes).

After retiring the first 7 Peoria hitters in order, Hajjar permitted his first baserunner with a walk drawn by the Chiefs’ Tyler Reichenborn in the top of the 3^rd inning. However, Captains catcher Cooper Ingle caught Reichenborn stealing 2^nd base, his first time catching a runner stealing in his professional career.

Hajjar allowed his only 2 hits of the game in the top of the 4^th inning. Peoria recorded their first hit of the afternoon when R.J. Yeager hit a solo home run to put the Chiefs ahead 1-0. This was immediately followed by a double from Peoria’s Jimmy Crooks, who was soon stranded on 2^nd base.

Despite issuing 2 consecutive walks in the top of the 5^th inning, Hajjar managed to retire the final 5 Chiefs hitters he faced in order. Shawn Rapp then pitched a perfect top of the 7^th inning to seal Lake County’s victory.

The Captains did not record a hit until the bottom of the 3^rd inning, when Chase DeLauter, Cleveland’s No. 4 and MLB’s No. 90 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, hit a two-out infield single to extend his hitting streak to 7 games. One inning later, Lake County tied the game with a two-out sacrifice fly from Will Bartlett, which made the score 1-1.

In the top of the 5^th inning, back-to-back singles from DeLauter and Kahlil Watson, Cleveland’s No. 16 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, put runners on 1^st and 3^rd base for the Captains.

DeLauter then scored, giving Lake County their first run of the lead at 2-1, when Dayan Frias, Cleveland’s No. 25 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, struck out swinging and reached base on a wild pitch. In the ensuing at-bat, Cooper Ingle also struck out swinging, but Watson scored on another wild pitch. Joe Lampe then hit an RBI single to give the Captains a 4-1 lead.

In the bottom of the 6^th inning, Jake Fox, Cleveland’s No. 12 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, drove home another run for Lake County with a two-out RBI triple, which made the score 5-1.