MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

'Caps Fall Short of Sweep, Inch Closer to Playoffs

Published on August 31, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Despite four-hit nights from both Wade Gaynor and Michael Rockett, the West Michigan Whitecaps' five-game winning streak was snapped during a 13-7 loss to the Great Lakes Loons in front of a crowd of 6,393 at Tuesday night's regular season home finale at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (34-30, 60-73) saw their magic number reduced to two thanks to Lansing's loss to Dayton, meaning that the Whitecaps can clinch a playoff berth with a win in any of the three games during their upcoming series with the Lugnuts. The 'Caps finished their final homestand with a 5-2 record but fell just short of a four-game sweep against Great Lakes (42-22, 85-48). Every batter in the Loons lineup registered a multi-hit game, led by a 4-for-5 night with three RBI from Brian Ruggiano.

The Loons started their offensive barrage with three consecutive extra-base hits to open the ballgame. Doubles by Nick Buss and Christian Lara led to the first run, while Brian Cavazos-Galvez followed with a triple to right-center as Great Lakes snatched a 2-0 lead.

The Whitecaps reached the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI-single by Gaynor, but the Loons exploded over the next two innings to assert control.

After a two-out bunt single in the second inning drove in a run to make it 3-1, Great Lakes busted out the sticks for a five-run rally in the third. The Loons rattled off six straight hits with nobody out, including run-scoring singles by J.T. Wise and Angelo Songco. The bases were loaded with Ruggiano went the other way with a two-run double, and Chris Jacobs capped the rally with a run-scoring groundout that provided Great Lakes with an 8-1 cushion.

Despite the healthy lead, the slugfest was far from over.

West Michigan countered with four extra-base hits in the bottom of the third. After Hernan Perez drew a leadoff walk, Rockett and Corey Jones cracked back-to-back RBI-doubles. On the very next pitch, Gaynor drilled a two-run homer to left that cut the deficit to 8-5.

From there, Loons reliever Jordan Roberts (6-4) took over to settle things down and, ultimately, earn the victory. The 24-year-old left-hander got the final out of the third and cruised through three scoreless frames in the middle innings before the Whitecaps finally got to him in the seventh. Roberts was charged with two runs on four hits over 4.1 innings, holding the 'Caps offense in check while Great Lakes continued to pad their lead.

The Loons crossed the plate three more times in the fourth and again in the sixth to extend their advantage to 12-5. Avisail Garcia's two-run triple in the seventh brought the Whitecaps to within five runs, but Great Lakes tacked on the final tally with a ninth-inning double by Christian Lara that cemented the 13-7 final.

Both starting pitchers got knocked around and failed to make it out of the third inning. Jared Wesson (7-2) had a five-game winning streak snapped, allowing eight runs on 12 hits over 2.2 innings in the loss. Ryan Christenson did not fare much better for Great Lakes, serving up five runs on eight hits over 2.2 frames in a no-decision.

The Whitecaps finish the 2010 regular season with a six-game road trip that begins with the opener of a three-game series against the Lansing Lugnuts at 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday, September 1. RHP Victor Larez (8-10, 4.25) is scheduled to take the mound for West Michigan against RHP Drew Hutchison (0-2, 1.93) of the Lugnuts. Although the home portion of the 2010 regular season is complete, the Whitecaps are fighting for a playoff berth and will have a 7:00 p.m. home game at Fifth Third Ballpark on Wednesday, September 8, if they qualify for the post-season.

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