MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Loons, Mother Nature Reign Down On Whitecaps

Published on August 19, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps had their hopes set on a comeback rally on Sunday afternoon, but a lengthy rain delay was followed by eight unanswered runs in a 13-4 loss to the Great Lakes Loons at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (27-28, 63-62) rebounded from an early 5-0 deficit to pull within 5-4 after the fifth inning, but a rainy afternoon forced the game into a 91-minute rain delay before Great Lakes (24-31, 58-67) reasserted control.

The Whitecaps allowed season-worst totals of 13 runs and 19 hits, in the process falling 3.5 games behind Lake County with 15 games remaining in the race for the Eastern Division's second-half wild card berth.

The West Michigan pitching staff struggled throughout the afternoon.

Pitching for the first time in 11 days, starter Wilsen Palacios (11-9) was roughed up for five runs over 2.2 innings and took the loss. Two of the runs against Palacios crossed the plate after his departure in the third inning on consecutive bases-loaded walks issued by reliever Michael Torrealba.

Down 5-0, the 'Caps charged back to make it a ballgame. Jason King clubbed a long two-run homer in the fourth inning and Eugenio Suarez added a two-run double in the fifth as West Michigan suddenly cut the deficit to just 5-4.

But the rains that began in the bottom of the fifth only got heavier, forcing the game into a delay between the fifth and sixth innings. After a wait of one hour and 31 minutes, the ballgame resumed but the momentum was no longer on the Whitecaps' side.

Nick Avila took the hill after the delay forced a shortened outing by scheduled piggyback starter Chad Smith. Making his fifth appearance in the last 10 days to help cover for a depleted bullpen, the right-hander was battered for six runs on nine hits over just 1.2 innings of work. A two-run single by Pedro Guerrero proved to be the back-breaker during a four-run seventh inning.

The Loons added two more runs in the ninth to cement the 13-4 blowout.

The Great Lakes attack was a team effort, but O'Koyea Dickson led the way with 4-for-6 day that included a homer and three runs scored. Everybody chipped in to some extent, with seven different players registering multi-hit games and eight of the nine hitters notching at least one RBI.

Gustavo Gomez (7-8) earned the win, pitching five innings before the rain delay and giving up four runs on four hits.

With just eight home games remaining in the regular season, the Whitecaps continue their homestand at 7:00 p.m. on Monday night with the third game of a four-game series against the Great Lakes Loons. RHP Tommy Collier (9-7, 2.57) is scheduled to take the hill for West Michigan against LHP Greg Wilborn (2-1, 3.74) of Great Lakes. Fifth Third Ballpark will host a pre-game blood drive presented by Credit Unions of West Michigan and fans will be able to take advantage of a JQ 99 All Faith's Night. 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 19, 2012


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