Eichhorn's Perfect Start Turns Sour In 8-1 Loss
May 20, 2011 - Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - A long day turned into a longer night for the West Michigan Whitecaps, who returned from their road trip in the early morning hours before suffering through a homestand-opening 8-1 defeat at the hands of the Fort Wayne TinCaps on Friday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.
West Michigan (16-23) was looking good early thanks to an outstanding start to the night by pitcher Kevin Eichhorn, who was perfect through five innings as the Whitecaps carried a lead into the sixth. Things unraveled shortly thereafter, as Fort Wayne (17-24) exploded for eight unanswered runs on their way to a third consecutive victory.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when James Robbins swung at a 1-1 pitch and blasted a towering solo home run to dead center field, clearing the 402-foot marker for a 1-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Eichhorn was cruising along. He retired the first 15 batters in order and carried a perfect game into the sixth inning before Fort Wayne finally broke through.
The TinCaps ended Eichhorn's perfect outing with back-to-back singles to lead off the sixth, and later tied the game on a run-scoring groundout by Rico Noel - part of a four-RBI night for the TinCaps' leadoff batter.
While the game was even heading into the seventh inning, Fort Wayne subsequently seized control as the contest slipped away from the Whitecaps.
Tommy Medica's two-run homer broke the tie and put the TinCaps ahead, 3-1, but it was a two-out rally later in the inning that helped Fort Wayne pull away. With the bases empty, Emmanuel Quiles struck out for what would have been the third out, but he was able to reach base when the wild pitch bounced away from the catcher. Chris Tremblay followed with a single and Chris Bisson reached on an error. That loaded the bases for Noel, who promptly delivered a two-run single as the visitors jumped out to a 5-1 lead.
Things got worse in the eighth, when Luis Domoromo led off the inning by golfing a solo homer to right. Jake Blackwood doubled and later scored on a single by Quiles, while a hit batsman with the bases loaded capped the scoring and put Fort Wayne in front by a comfortable 8-1 margin.
Eichhorn (2-3) suffered the loss with a final line that included five runs - three earned - on six hits over 6.2 innings. He struck out five without issuing a walk, giving up all five runs and all six hits between the sixth and seventh innings.
Noah Mull (1-1) earned the win out of the TinCaps' bullpen, giving up the only West Michigan run but finding himself on the mound at the right time during his two-inning relief stint. Mull took over for starter Matt Jackson, whose night was shortened after an apparent injury following four scoreless innings of one-hit baseball.
The Whitecaps continue their homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark on Saturday with a 7:00 p.m. first pitch against the Fort Wayne TinCaps. LHP Kyle Ryan (2-4, 3.27) is scheduled to take the hill for West Michigan against RHP Matt Branham (2-3, 3.45) of Fort Wayne. The Whitecaps will host a Salute to the Military presented by Bates Footwear with a camouflage hat giveaway for the first 1,000 fans, while a Farm Bureau Insurance fireworks show will light up the sky post-game. 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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