'Caps Scrap to Franchise Record in Comeback Win
April 18, 2025 - Midwest League (MWL)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps bullpen shut down the South Bend Cubs as a late rally propelled them to a historic 6-4 comeback victory Friday night at LMCU Ballpark.
With the victory, the Whitecaps broke a franchise record by winning their seventh straight home game to start a season. Their previous high was six to open the 2009 campaign.
Whitecaps relievers Haden Erbe, Jordan Marks, Marco Jimenez, and Preston Howey were untouchable - going eight scoreless frames with nine strikeouts and holding the Cubs to 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, West Michigan rallied for four runs in the eighth to complete the comeback victory. The Whitecaps bullpen hasn't allowed a run through their 24 innings of use in this series.
South Bend grabbed the lead in the first inning on a pair of two-run homers from outfielders Carter Trice and Andy Garriola - jumping in front 4-0. West Michigan responded with a run in the second on an RBI groundout from Jack Penney, then again in the fifth on a run-scoring double from catcher Archer Brookman - slicing the 'Caps deficit to 4-2. Jimenez walked the tightrope in the seventh inning, escaping a bases-loaded jam with consecutive punchouts to keep the deficit at two runs. West Michigan completed the comeback in the eighth with an unusual rally as Seth Stephenson added an RBI single before consecutive bases-loaded hit by pitches and a bases-loaded walk resulted in four runs - carrying a 6-4 lead into the ninth. Howey wasted no time recording the final three outs, retiring the side in order to finish the 6-4 win.
West Michigan improves to 9-4, while South Bend falls to 4-9. Howey (3-0) picks up his third win with two shutout frames, while Cubs reliever Sam Thoresen (0-1) suffers his first loss of the year, allowing four earned runs through an inning pitched. Stephenson led the 'Caps at the plate by going 2-for-4 with a run scored, a triple and an RBI in the victory.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps play the penultimate game of this six-game series against the South Bend Cubs with a Saturday matinee at 2:00 pm. Pitcher Carlos Marcano gets the start for West Michigan against the Cubs Ryan Gallagher. Broadcast coverage with Nate Wangler and Dan Hasty begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 1:45 pm on MiLB TV, or 106.1 FM 'The Ticket' and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids to catch all the action, or listen to the game live at whitecapsbaseball.com.
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