Castro's Homer Helps Whitecaps End Skid
July 2, 2013 - Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
MIDLAND, MI - Harold Castro lifted a go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning and the West Michigan Whitecaps ended their five-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Great Lakes Loons on Tuesday night at Dow Diamond.
Castro went 2-for-4 with his first two Midwest League hits, helping West Michigan (6-7, 39-44) snap their season-long skid while ending a stretch in which they went 49 consecutive innings without holding a lead. Despite collecting just five hits, the win also snapped a seven-game winning streak for Great Lakes (10-3, 37-46).
Castro, a 19-year-old prospect from Venezuela, joined the Whitecaps on Saturday to replace Midwest League batting leader Devon Travis after his promotion to high Class-A Lakeland. Following an 0-for-8 start to his time in West Michigan, Baseball America's 17th-rated Detroit Tigers' prospect came up big on Tuesday night.
The 'Caps were trailing 2-0 when Castro led off the fifth inning by beating out a bouncer to shortstop for an infield single. He went on to steal second base, later scoring West Michigan's first run when catcher Austin Cowen fielded a bunt-single by Zach Kirksey and threw away the ball to first. After another Great Lakes error and a sacrifice fly by Jeff Holm, the Whitecaps took a 3-2 lead.
It was West Michigan's first lead since finishing off a 4-0 victory over the Dayton Dragons last Wednesday - but it did not last long.
Aaron Miller tied the score at 3-3 with a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth, and the game remained deadlocked until Castro's heroics in the top of the ninth.
The rangy second baseman stepped to the plate with one out and lifted a 1-1 pitch from Arismendy Ozoria over the right field fence. His first home run of the 2013 season gave West Michigan a 4-3 edge.
Closer Corey Knebel, a supplemental first-round pick by the Tigers in the June draft, took over in the bottom of the ninth for just his second save opportunity since joining the 'Caps on June 21. He quickly found himself in a jam when speedster James Baldwin used a walk, a steal and a wild pitch to reach third with just one out.
Knebel bore down with the potential game-tying run standing 90 feet away, using a nasty curveball to strike out pinch-hitter Kevin Taylor looking and Malcolm Holland swinging for his second professional save.
That capped a strong pitching performance by the Whitecaps.
Starter Jake Thompson allowed two runs - one earned - on four hits over five innings. After three singles and an error led to both runs in the first inning, Thompson gave up just one more hit and did not allow another runner to reach scoring position. He left the game after five innings in line for his first Midwest League win.
The bullpen was also strong. Guido Knudson allowed the game-tying homer to Miller in the sixth, but Josh Turley struck out all three batters that he faced in the seventh and Angel Nesbitt (3-1) stranded runners at second and third in the eighth before Knebel locked down the ninth.
Ozoria (2-5) suffered the loss despite allowing just one hit - the Castro home run - over two innings of relief.
The Whitecaps continue a four-game home-and-home series against the Great Lakes Loons with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch on Wednesday at Dow Diamond. RHP Endrys Briceno (4-5, 4.03) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against LHP Julio Urias (1-0, 3.42) of the Loons. After the first two games in Midland, the series will shift back to West Michigan for the Fourth of July with a 7:00 p.m. start on Thursday night featuring Independence Day fireworks and an Altogas Thrifty Thursday. Group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.
Midwest League Stories from July 2, 2013
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- Bemboom's Night Spoiled in 2-1 Loss - Burlington Bees
- Loons Win Streak Ends at Seven - Great Lakes Loons
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