Five-Run Rally In 11th Caps Improbable Comeback
Published on April 17, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
BOWLING GREEN, KY - The West Michigan Whitecaps bounced back from a 4-0 deficit on Friday night at Bowling Green Ballpark, forcing extra innings before rallying for five runs in the top of the 11th of a 9-4 win over the Bowling Green Hot Rods.
West Michigan (4-5) will return to Grand Rapids on Saturday after an improbable comeback victory in which they issued 10 walks, allowed six stolen bases and struck out 14 times. The Whitecaps won two of three from Bowling Green (3-6), overcoming a stellar pitching performance from Hot Rods starter Wilking Rodriguez on Friday.
Despite trailing most of the way, the Whitecaps put themselves back into the ballgame against the Hot Rods bullpen in the top of the seventh. Down 4-1, Michael Rockett greeted reliever Jake Sullivan with a double into the gap in right-center. Two outs later he was still standing at second, but a pair of walks kept the inning alive and loaded the bases. After a pitching change, Hernan Perez delivered a clutch double into the left-field corner that cleared the bases and tied the score at 4-4.
The tie remained until the top of the 11th, when West Michigan exploded for five runs. Avisail Garcia reached base on a four-pitch walk and promptly scored the go-ahead run on Jordan Lennerton's double to right-center. After Michael Rockett bunted the runner to third and Eric Roof drew a walk, pinch-hitter Mike Gosse yanked another double to make it 6-4. With the runners at second and third, Luis Palacios joined the fun with a two-run double of his own that banged off the wall in left field. Palacios eventually scored on a wild pitch for the decisive 9-4 margin.
Melvin Mercedes (1-0) kept the score tied with three excellent innings of scoreless relief, striking out two and allowing one hit to earn the win. Jairo De La Rosa (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing all five 11th-inning runs during his two innings of work.
Before the Whitecaps rattled off nine consecutive runs to snatch the win, the story of the game was Hot Rods' starting pitcher Wilking Rodriguez. The hard-throwing 20-year-old retired the first 12 men he faced in order and fanned five in a row between the first and third innings. Over six dominant frames, he struck out nine and allowed just one run on three hits.
The Hot Rods initially reached the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Leadoff batter Chris Murrill opened the inning with an infield single and stole both second and third base during the next at-bat. Whitecaps' starter Giovanni Soto was on the verge of escaping the jam after inducing an infield groundout and striking out a batter, but Mark Thomas responded with a run-scoring single up the middle that gave Bowling Green a 1-0 lead.
One inning later, the home team added to the advantage. Dustin Biell and Diogenes Luis each lined singles to left to start the rally and Murrill beat out a bunt to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed Biell to race home from third while a walk to Tyler Bortnick reloaded the sacks. With one out, Thomas looped another RBI-single to center that eluded a diving Jamie Johnson. Eligio Sonoqui followed with a run-scoring fielder's choice groundout, pushing the Hot Rods' advantage to 4-0.
The Whitecaps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Saturday, April 17, to host the Great Lakes Loons for a 6:35 p.m. start on Autism Awareness Night, which will feature a jersey auction to help raise funds for the Autism Society of Kent County. Season, 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 April 17, 2010
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- TinCaps end Captains' perfection, 6-2 - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Hot Rods Drop Opener In Lansing 7-1 - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Kernels offense strikes early and often in 14-6 rout of Cougars - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- 'Caps Top Great Lakes, 4-2 - Great Lakes Loons
- River Bandits Stay Perfect At Home, Take Game One With Rattlers - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Dragons Fall to South Bend, 6-3 - Dayton Dragons
- Bandits take series opener - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Losing Streak Over, Hawks Post First W in 2010 - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Kane County crushed by Cedar Rapids in series opener - Kane County Cougars
- Wild Pitch Hands Game to Beloit in 11th - Clinton LumberKings
- Lugnuts cool down Hot Rods, 7-1 - Lansing Lugnuts
- Four-Run Lead Evaporates In Peoria - Burlington Bees
- Chiefs Win Home Opener 7-6 on Saturday - Peoria Chiefs
- Erasmo Ramirez Joins LumberKings - Clinton LumberKings
- Gonzales Third Straight Home-run Game Lifts Snappers - Beloit Sky Carp
- Five-Run Rally In 11th Caps Improbable Comeback - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Wilking Rodriguez Dazzles With 9 Strikeouts - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- April 16 - Peoria 7, Kernels 4 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Bees Break Up No-No In 9th, Fall 9-0 To Wisconsin - Burlington Bees
- Sams Homers Three Times, Including 11th Inning Walk-Off - Clinton LumberKings
- Defense struggles in 7-4 loss to Chiefs - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Bandits blow eight run lead - Quad Cities River Bandits
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