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West Michigan Whitecaps

Comeback-Minded ‘Caps Fall Short In Ninth

July 24, 2010 - Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps overcame a pair of deficits during a back-and-forth affair on Saturday night at Fifth Third Ballpark, but eventually ran out of late-game dramatics in a 6-4 loss to the Beloit Snappers in front of a season-high crowd of 10,010 raucous fans.

West Michigan (8-20, 34-63) scored twice in the fifth to overcome a 1-0 deficit and pushed two more runs across in the eighth to erase a 4-2 disadvantage. Beloit (12-14, 49-46) always seemed to have an answer, though, scoring runs in each of the last four innings to hold on for the victory.

Trailing 4-2, the Whitecaps gave their first crowd of more than 10,000 fans this season something to cheer about in the bottom of the eighth. Jamie Johnson and Jeff Rowland each drew walks to start the rally while Corey Jones bunted the runners to second and third. Cleanup batter Wade Gaynor followed with a grounder to the right side that scored Johnson to cut the deficit to one run. With two outs and an 0-2 count, Tony Plagman delivered the game-tying hit, an opposite field double to left that evened the score at 4-4.

Once again, however, the Snappers had an answer.

James Beresford led off the ninth with a single against Whitecaps reliever Jordan Pratt and was replaced at first on a fielder's choice by Steven Liddle. After Liddle stole second, Rams drove him in with a line-drive single to center that proved to be the game-winning hit. Later in the frame, Anderson Hidalgo's two-out single plated Rams for the decisive 6-4 edge.

The Whitecaps did not go down without a fight, mounting another threat in the bottom of the ninth. Rob Brantly singled and Clay Jones was hit by a pitch to put the potential game-tying run on base with nobody out. Jimmy Gulliver followed with a hard-hit ball up the middle that snuck through the legs and under the glove of the pitcher, rolling directly to the bag at second where the shortstop Beresford was waiting to start a rally-killing double play. The next batter flew out harmlessly as the Snappers held on for the 6-4 win.

Beloit reliever Matthew Hauser (1-0) earned the victory with two scoreless innings after initially allowing a pair of inherited runners to score during a blown save. Pratt (0-1) took the loss for West Michigan, charged with two runs on four hits over 1.2 frames.

Early on, the Snappers came out swinging in the top of the first as three of the first four batters of the night hit safely. Aaron Hicks opened the game with a liner to center and advanced from first to third on a single to right by Liddle. Rams followed with a groundball through the middle that plated Hicks for a 1-0 lead.

That deficit remained until the bottom of the fifth. Beloit starter Tom Stuifbergen entered the frame with a one-hit shutout, but the Whitecaps sent eight men to the plate in the go-ahead rally. Gaynor got it started with a low liner through the middle and Garcia added a one-out double that placed runners at second and third. Brantly sent a slow chopper to second that tied the game when Gaynor beat the throw to the plate. One batter later, Clay Jones smacked a sacrifice fly to deep center that put West Michigan in front, 2-1.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Snappers scored single runs in each of the next three innings. Lance Ray tied the score with a solo homer in the sixth and Beresford broke the tie with a run-scoring single in the seventh. After Ray doubled and scored in the eighth, Beloit's advantage was 4-2.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with game two of a three-game series against the Beloit Snappers (Twins) at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 25. LHP Jared Wesson (2-1, 2.43) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against LHP Clint Dempster (1-0, 7.20) of the Snappers. It will be a Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Day featuring free lunch for the first 1,000 kids, pre-game catch on the field, and player autographs before the game. After the contest, stick around and kids can run the bases just like the pros! Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

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