MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Below shuts down Loons in rain shortened Whitecaps win

Published on August 23, 2007 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


MIDLAND, MI - Duane Below pitched seven shutout innings as the Whitecaps blanked Great Lakes, 4-0 in a rain-shortened game. West Michigan came away with a 2-2 split of the series.

Below allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out six to improve to 12-5.

Jeramy Laster went 2-for-4 with a double and a two run homer in the eighth inning that gave the 'Caps a 3-0 lead.

Ryan Strieby scored the first West Michigan run of the game when he led off the fourth inning with a triple and came home on a ground ball off the bat of Jordan Newton.

In the top of the ninth inning, the Whitecaps had Newton at third and Brandon Timm at second with one out an Audy Ciriaco at the plate. Prior to the last pitch to Ciriaco, a downpour began. Ciriaco hit a fly ball that slipped out of the glove of right fielder Carlos Santana. It was ruled an RBI sacrifice fly and an error and resulted in the final score of 4-0 and Newton trotted home on the play.

At that point the game was stopped. It was not resumed due to the condition of the infield.

Casey Fien pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Whitecaps to earn his sixth save.

Paul Coleman threw the first eight innings for Great Lakes and allowed three runs on seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

Transaction: Prior to the game, the Tigers activated LHP Ramon Garcia from the disabled list. Garcia has not pitched since June 28 but is 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts that included 8 innings pitched for West Michigan. Garcia spent the second half of last season on the Whitecaps disabled list after going 7-2 with a 1.92 ERA over 12 starts. He pitched once for Lakeland of the Florida State League in 2007 before he was assigned to West Michigan.

To make room for Garcia, the Tigers released RHP Dan Fyvie. The Flint native was 0-3 with a 5.50 ERA and one save in 18 innings pitched over 14 relief appearances for the 'Caps this season. He began the year with Kalamazoo of the independent Frontier League and spent the previous five seasons in the Oakland Athletics organization, including parts of the last three years with Kane County of the Midwest League.

The Clincher: Great Lakes' loss coupled with Lansing's rain shortened win (8-1 in 6 innings over South Bend) means the Lugnuts are the first Midwest League team to clinch a playoff berth in the second half.

Crazy Eight: The final home stand of the regular season for the Whitecaps has been expanded to nine games because of a double header against Fort Wayne next Tuesday. The first four games of the home stand will be against Dayton, beginning Friday. Below are the expected pitching match ups for the series against the Dragons:

(Dayton vs. West Michigan)

Friday, 7:00 p.m.

LHP Jamie Arneson (1-2, 4.38) vs. RHP Lauren Gagnier (5-11, 4.68)

Saturday, 7:00 p.m.

LHP Travis Webb (7-5, 3.67) vs. RHP Matt O'Brien (7-2, 2.39)

Sunday, 2:00 p.m.

RHP Jordan Smith (9-7, 3.38) vs. RHP Jeff Gerbe (2-1, 2 saves, 2.15)

Monday, 2:00 p.m.

RHP Daniel Guerrero (3-4, 4.15) vs. LHP Charlie Furbush (4-0, 1.30)

The Davenport University Career Startup Show begins on tape delay following high school football coverage Friday on 1340 AM WBBL and at wbbl.com.

Check out the West Michigan Whitecaps Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from August 23, 2007


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