Feeney Sets Record as 'Caps Keep Charging
Published on August 30, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps continued their stampede towards the post-season with a 10-3 victory over the Great Lakes Loons on Monday, reducing their magic number to three with a fifth consecutive win at Fifth Third Ballpark.
The West Michigan (34-29, 60-72) victory combined with other action around the Midwest League to officially eliminate Bowling Green and South Bend from playoff contention while giving the 'Caps a five-game lead over the Lansing Lugnuts with seven games remaining in the race for the Eastern Division's final playoff berth. The Whitecaps have led all 27 innings of the current series with Great Lakes (41-22, 84-48), outscoring the Loons 28-9 in the process.
Trevor Feeney (11-13) secured his place in franchise history with the win, tossing 7.2 strong innings to establish a new record for innings pitched in a single-season. The 24-year-old right-hander has logged a league-leading 179.2 innings, surpassing Nate Cornejo's previous record of 174.2 frames during the 1998 season. Feeney is also currently on pace to set new franchise records for fewest walks per nine innings (1.00) and highest strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.05).
Feeney scattered 10 hits and allowed three runs, notching his 20th quality start in 28 outings and striking out four without issuing a walk.
He received plenty of run support on Monday as the Whitecaps came out swinging once again.
Sparkplug Jamie Johnson started the bottom of the first inning by smacking a triple to right-center, making it five times in six games that the scrappy outfielder has led off the first inning with a hit. Jeff Rowland followed with a clean single to right field and later scored on a double to center field by Wade Gaynor, who advanced to third when the throw to the cutoff man got away. Tony Plagman capped the rally with a sacrifice fly as the Whitecaps seized an early 3-0 lead.
In the second inning, West Michigan used a power surge to pad the advantage. Alexis Espinoza clubbed the first pitch of the frame out of the yard to dead-center field and Hernan Perez made it back-to-back jacks with towering longball to left. Both players homered for the second consecutive day, staking the 'Caps to a 5-0 edge.
The Loons reached the scoreboard in the third on a two-run homer by Blake Smith, but the Whitecaps answered in the bottom of the fourth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Rowland ripped a two-run single through the right side to make it a 7-2 ballgame.
The score was 7-3 when West Michigan went back to work in the sixth. Jimmy Gulliver led off with a single, but there were two outs when Avisail Garcia legged out an infield hit and Gaynor drew a walk to load the bases. Tony Plagman promptly drew a walk to force in a run and Rob Brantly blooped a two-run single to left-center as the Whitecaps cemented the 10-3 final.
Josh Wall (8-7) suffered the loss for Great Lakes after getting knocked around for 10 runs - nine earned - on 12 hits over six innings of work.
The Whitecaps' last regular season home game at Fifth Third Ballpark will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 31, in the series finale against the Great Lakes Loons. LHP Jared Wesson (7-1, 2.61) is scheduled to take the mound for West Michigan against LHP Ryan Christenson (2-1, 6.75) of the Loons. The first 1,500 kids 14 and under will receive youth jerseys courtesy of Kowalski, and fans can register for a drawing to receive game-worn jerseys on Shirt Off Our Backs Night. To cap it off, the 'Caps will celebrate a fantastic 2010 regular season with post-game fireworks presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. Group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.
Midwest League Stories from August 30, 2010
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- Bandits Come from Behind to Take Down Kernels 4-3 - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Dragons' Seven-Run 9th Devastates Lugnuts, 9-7 - Lansing Lugnuts
- Feeney Sets Record as 'Caps Keep Charging - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Cedeno, Thomas Drive Hot Rods Past 'Caps - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Biggest 9th Inning of 2010 Lifts Dragons to Comeback Win - Dayton Dragons
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