MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Lollis Stifles 'Caps, Halts Winning Streak at Twelve

Published on August 18, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps' record-tying winning streak came to an end with a 5-1 loss to the Fort Wayne TinCaps on Wednesday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (26-25, 52-68) entered playing having won 17 of their previous 20 games and tying a franchise record set in 1999 with 12 straight victories. Fort Wayne (32-19, 68-53) has also been hot, winning for the 19th time in their last 25 games to knock the Whitecaps back into a tie with Lansing with 19 games remaining in the race for the Eastern Division's final playoff spot.

The evening began ominously when a pair of errors charged to second baseman Corey Jones allowed Fort Wayne's first two batters to reach in the top of the first inning.

West Michigan starter Luis Angel Sanz was able to skirt out of trouble with the help of a play at the plate, eventually inducing a groundout to strand the bases loaded. Sanz worked in and out of trouble throughout his outing, stranding seven baserunners over the first three innings and carrying a shutout into the fifth.

Meanwhile, TinCaps' starter Matt Lollis (3-1, 1.93) dominated the evening and earned the victory. The 19-year-old right-hander consistently pounded the strike zone and kept the Whitecaps off-balance, throwing exactly 100 pitches over 7.2 innings while striking out eight and allowing five hits. The towering, 6-foot-7 right-hander did not issue a walk and allowed just one run that came around to score after his removal in the eighth inning.

The game was scoreless until Fort Wayne broke through in the top of the fifth. Jason Hagerty was at first base with two outs when Jedd Gyorko drove a screaming liner to right-center. Jeff Rowland broke to his left and seemed on his way to making the catch, but took a bad angle as the ball tailed over his head and bounced to the wall for a run-scoring double. Two pitches later, Daniel Meeley singled up the middle to score Gyorko for a 2-0 edge.

The TinCaps doubled the advantage in the seventh after drawing a pair of walks to open the inning. Meeley delivered another run-scoring single and Jonathan Galvez added a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 4-0.

West Michigan finally reached the scoreboard after Lollis was pulled in the bottom of the eighth. Moments after Avisail Garcia stole second base, Hernan Perez singled through the middle to cut the deficit to 4-1.

Fort Wayne scored an insurance run to take a 5-1 lead in the top of the ninth. The Whitecaps put a pair of runners on base to threaten a rally in the bottom half of the frame, but TinCaps' closer Miles Mikolas (7) came in and retired all three batters he faced to slam the door shut.

Sanz (2-6) suffered the loss after allowing two runs on seven hits over 4.2 innings of work.

With just nine regular season home games remaining, the Whitecaps continue their second-to-last homestand of the season on Thursday, August 19, with a 7:00 p.m. game against the Fort Wayne TinCaps at Fifth Third Ballpark. RHP Patrick Cooper (1-0, 3.79) is scheduled to take the hill for West Michigan against LHP Michael Watt (5-4, 3.33) of the TinCaps. There will be $2 food and beverage specials on an Altogas Thrifty Thursday as well as a post-game concert by the Union Guns on Country Night. 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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Midwest League Stories from August 18, 2010


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