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Whitecaps' Comeback Soured By Walk-Off Loss

August 16, 2012 - Midwest League (MWL) West Michigan Whitecaps

SOUTH BEND, IN - The West Michigan Whitecaps battled back to erase a 4-0 deficit and force extra innings on Thursday night, only to lose in walk-off fashion, 5-4, after 10 innings of play against the South Bend Silver Hawks at Coveleski Stadium.

West Michigan (25-27, 61-61) was ultimately done in by 13 runners left on base and was hampered in their comeback bid by going just 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position. South Bend (26-25, 61-60) also benefitted by a trio of spectacular diving catches by corner outfielders that helped them stave off the hard-charging Whitecaps.

West Michigan was behind 4-0 when the comeback began in the sixth inning.

With the bases loaded with nobody out, Jason Krizan got the Whitecaps on the board with a fielder's choice groundout that scored Jeff McVaney from third base. The rally was halted abruptly, however, when Brandon Loy bounced into an inning-ending double play.

The 'Caps did not score again until the eighth, when Krizan started a rally with a two-out walk and Loy singled him to third. Zach Maggard followed by drilling a two-run double off the wall in right-center to cut the deficit to 4-3. The inning ended moments later when Chad Wright sliced a potential game-tying hit down the left field line, only to watch Kerry Jenkins race over and make a sliding catch just inside the foul line.

West Michigan evened the score in the ninth thanks in part to three walks by South Bend's Jake Barrett, including a bases-loaded free pass to Lance Durham that forced in the game-tying run.

But with the bases loaded and one out, the Whitecaps could not add the go-ahead tally. On a 2-0 pitch, Krizan chased a high fastball and popped out to the shortstop. Loy followed by squaring up a liner to right, but Tom Belza raced to his left and made a spectacular diving catch to strand the bases loaded and maintain the 4-4 tie.

After Jenkins made another stellar sliding catch to take an extra-base hit away from Maggard in the top of the 10th, the Silver Hawks' left fielder completed his tremendous night in the bottom of the inning.

Jenkins capped a 3-for-4, two-RBI day at the plate with a one-out single in the bottom of the 10th and proceeded to steal second base with two outs in the inning. That put him in scoring position for Eric Groff, who poked a 2-2 single into center field to plate Jenkins for the 5-4, walk-off win.

Will Clinard (0-1) suffered the loss after entering the game in the 10th inning and allowing the decisive run.

Kaleb Fleck (4-2) was rewarded with the win after throwing 1.2 scoreless innings of relief, including the final two outs of the ninth inning with the Whitecaps threatening to take the lead.

The Whitecaps conclude their three-game road series against the South Bend Silver Hawks on Friday night at 7:35 p.m. RHP Marcelo Carreno (6-8, 3.59) is scheduled to take the hill for West Michigan against LHP Keith Hessler (2-1, 2.60) of South Bend. The next home game at Fifth Third Ballpark will be on Saturday, August 18, at 7:00 p.m. with promotions including Racing Night, a pre-game t-shirt giveaway, and a spectacular post-game fireworks show. Group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.

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Midwest League Stories from August 16, 2012


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