Adames Homers, Bullpen Holds Firm In Win
Published on July 13, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
DAYTON, OH - Willy Adames crushed an early three-run homer and the West Michigan Whitecaps' bullpen contributed four shutout innings to close out the Dayton Dragons in a 6-5 win on Sunday afternoon at Fifth Third Field in Dayton, Ohio.
West Michigan (14-9, 55-38) improved to 6-3 on their 10-game road trip with a third straight win in Dayton (10-13, 46-45). The 'Caps will try to complete a four-game sweep in the road trip finale on Monday night.
Adames got the scoring started with a monster of a home run in the second inning, blasting an 0-1 pitch from Nick Travieso off the scoreboard beyond the left field wall for a 3-0 lead.
Sparked by left fielder Gabriel Rosa, Dayton responded with five unanswered runs. Rosa led off the third with a double, starting a rally that included an RBI-single by Ronald Buena and a two-run single by Phillip Ervin that tied the score at 3-3. Rosa added a solo homer in the fourth and Jamodrick McGruder chipped in with a solo shot in the fifth as the Dragons took a 5-3 advantage.
But West Michigan responded with a rally of their own. Bennett Pickar trimmed the deficit to one run with a two-out double in the sixth that scored Jeff Holm all the way from first.
In the seventh inning, the 'Caps threatened again after Pat Leyland lined a leadoff single to left and Wynton Bernard doubled him to third with one out. After a pitching change, Javier Betancourt tied the score with a sacrifice fly against Dayton reliever Tony Amezcua.
Raph Rhymes provided the game-winning hit on the very next pitch, drilling a two-out double off the wall in left field to plate Bernard for the 6-5 advantage.
The bullpen did the rest, although it certainly was not easy. But, after blowing two saves during a rough three-game set in Bowling Green the previous series, the relief corps continued their bounce-back effort in Dayton by converting their third save opportunity in a row.
Matt Davenport (5-2) earned the win with a scoreless sixth inning, stranding runners at the corners moments before the Whitecaps' mounted the go-ahead rally. Montreal Robertson added two scoreless frames, working around a runner at third base with one out in the eighth and ultimately stranding two men aboard with a key strikeout on a pay-off pitch to Rosa.
Joe Mantiply (8) finished the job in the ninth. He inherited one baserunner upon entering the game after a leadoff single by Jonathan Reynoso, who was bunted to second for the first out of the inning and advanced to third on a groundout. With runners at the corners, however, Mantiply induced a game-ending groundout from Ervin to seal the win.
Travieso (7-5) took the loss for Dayton. The 20-year-old right-hander gave up six runs on nine hits over 6.1 innings.
The Whitecaps conclude their 10-game road trip on Monday night with a 7:00 p.m. first pitch against the Dayton Dragons. LHP Kevin Ziomek (7-6, 2.55) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Jackson Stephens (2-0, 2.79) of Dayton. The next home game at Fifth Third Ballpark will be on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. featuring the interactive Aces in the Outfield promotion and post-game Family Fare fireworks. Season, 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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