'Caps Go Deep for Six-Game Sweep
Published on April 19, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
LANSING, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps used two huge home runs and a great performance from various members of the pitching staff to complete a six-game sweep of the Lansing Lugnuts Sunday at Jackson Field with a victory by the final score of 12-4.
West Michigan plated its first seven runs on just two Sunday swings, beginning with a grand slam by Cristian Santana in the second and later a three-run homer by outfielder Andrew Sojka to give the 'Caps all the offense it needed to win its seventh straight game. The win helped the Whitecaps become the first Midwest League team to reach double-digit victories this season, and by virtue of a Great Lakes Loons loss on Sunday, the 'Caps sit all alone in first place in the Midwest League Eastern Division.
West Michigan struck first in grand fashion, when Santana launched his second-inning grand slam, his second homer of the season, to give West Michigan a 4-0 lead. The grand slam was the first for the Whitecaps in 2026 after hitting a Midwest League-high eight last season. In the third, Lansing mounted a two-out rally in the third with a run-scoring single by left fielder Devin Taylor before Gavin Turley collected an RBI double to slash the 'Caps lead in half to a score of 4-2. In the fifth, the 'Caps played longball once again when Andrew Sojka blasted his second home run in as many days, a three-run shot, to extend the West Michigan lead to 7-2. After collecting a pair of runs in the seventh, the 'Caps tacked on three more in the ninth, highlighted by run-scoring doubles from Nolan McCarthy and Hunter Dobbins to conclude the scoring en route to their six-game sweep.
West Michigan's record jumps to 10-5, while Lansing drops to 5-9. Reliever Inohan Paniagua (1-0) tossed 2.1 scoreless frames while striking out three in collecting his first win in a Whitecaps uniform, while Tzu-Chen Sha (0-1) allowed five runs in 4.1 innings and took the loss for Lansing. As a team, the 'Caps offense walked a total of 11 times, while Sojka led the way, reaching base four times with a 3-for-4 performance. Last year, the Whitecaps swept a six-game series four different times, including once against the Lugnuts in late August at LMCU Ballpark.
UP NEXT
The 'Caps return home this week to host the Lake County Captains for a rematch of the 2025 Midwest League Championship Series beginning Tuesday night at 6:35pm. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Nate Wangler begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:20 pm on 106.1 FM 'The Ticket', and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids, or listen to all the action on whitecapsbaseball.com.
Midwest League Stories from April 19, 2026
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- Chiefs Score 11, Back up Five Shutout Relief Innings from Fajardo in Series Closing Win - Peoria Chiefs
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- Caps Slam Nuts to Complete Sweep, 12-4 - Lansing Lugnuts
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