Whitecaps Explode In Ninth To Beat Kernels
April 17, 2014 - Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - Following back-to-back walk-off extra-inning losses on Tuesday and Wednesday, the West Michigan Whitecaps were not about to let another game slip away on Thursday night.
After giving up the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, the 'Caps stormed back for four runs in the top of the ninth and prevailed for a 7-3 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
West Michigan (8-6) won for the fifth time in their last seven games, pounding out 12 hits to win the opener of their three-game series in Cedar Rapids (8-6).
The Whitecaps nearly led wire-to-wire, taking a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning before the Kernels tied the score on a two-run double by Logan Wade.
Determined to avoid a third straight extra-inning game, West Michigan went back to work with the score tied at 3-3.
Wynton Bernard led off the top of the ninth with a towering double off the left field wall and was promptly bunted to second by Harold Castro. With the infield in, Javier Betancourt lined the next pitch to right-center for the go-ahead single.
Raph Rhymes reached base on a fielder's choice that put runners at first and second and Dominic Ficociello followed with a base hit through the middle. Center fielder Jason Kanzler couldn't handle the baseball, allowing both Betancourt and Rhymes to score as Ficociello raced all the way to third. Ben Verlander added a sacrifice fly to cap the four-run, four-hit rally and push the lead to 7-3.
Jon Maciel (1-0) earned the win with four innings of relief. The 21-year-old right-hander allowed two runs - one earned - on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
He took over after five strong innings from starter Jonathon Crawford, who limited the Kernels to one run on three hits over five innings. Crawford, the Detroit Tigers' first-round pick in 2013, has allowed just one run over 10.1 innings in his last two outings.
Betancourt led the offensive attack with a 3-for-5 night, notching his eighth multi-hit effort through 14 games and increasing his league-leading hit total to 22. Bernard and Brett Harrison each had two-hit games and Verlander added a pair of RBI to increase his team-leading total to 10.
Hudson Boyd (2-1) suffered the loss. After Cedar Rapids relievers Brandon Bixler and Brandon Peterson combined for five shutout innings, Boyd was roughed up for four runs on four hits in the ninth.
The Whitecaps continue their six-game road trip with the middle game of a three-game series against the Cedar Rapids Kernels at 7:35 p.m. ET on Friday night. RHP Buck Farmer (1-1, 2.79) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Kohl Stewart (0-0, 5.00) of Cedar Rapids. The next homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark will begin on Monday, April 21, at 6:35 p.m. against the Bowling Green Hot Rods. Each day of the seven-game "Dollar Days" homestand will feature a different $1 special, starting with $1 reserved seats on Monday for fans that bring a church or community bulletin thanks to JQ99 FM. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps' front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.
• Discuss this story on the Midwest League message board...
Midwest League Stories from April 17, 2014
- Whitecaps Explode In Ninth To Beat Kernels - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Clinton Takes Series Opener from Hot Rods, 7-4 - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Silver Hawks Shut out River Bandits, 5-0 - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Timber Rattlers lose 4-3 - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Kernels Drop Opener to West Michigan - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Beloit Breaks 7-Game Losing Streak - Beloit Sky Carp
- TinCaps Win in Walk-Off Fashion - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Chiefs Fall 6-5 Thursday, Win Streak Ends at 5 - Peoria Chiefs
- Cougars End Dragons Winning Streak - Dayton Dragons
- Snappers drop Lugnuts in opener, 7-2 - Lansing Lugnuts
- Bees Late Rally Falls Short in Series Opener - Burlington Bees
- Captains Sink Bees 6-3 - Lake County Captains
- Kane County Cougars Homestand Preview: April 21-27 - Kane County Cougars
- Chavez Assigned to Beloit - Beloit Sky Carp
- MBF Announces State Street Coming to East End Spring 2014 - Great Lakes Loons
- Dragons GameDay for April 17 vs. Kane County - Dayton Dragons
- Deadline to Register for "Swing with the Loons" Golf Outing Is May 23 - Great Lakes Loons
- Clint Frazier to Join the Captains Tonight - Lake County Captains
- Loons Rally to Sweep Series in Beloit - Great Lakes Loons
- Snappers Get Swept by Loons - Beloit Sky Carp
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent West Michigan Whitecaps Stories
- 'Caps Down Loons, 12-0
- New Friends, Familiar Faces Help 'Caps Rally, 7-5
- 'Caps Take First Game at Great Lakes
- 'Caps Silenced on Sunday
- Whitecaps Drop Two to Quad Cities