MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Gaynor Homers Again, Whitecaps Fall In Lansing

Published on May 12, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


LANSING, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps were no match for talented lefty Evan Crawford in a 7-1 loss to the Lansing Lugnuts on Monday at Cooley Law School Stadium.

West Michigan (11-22) got an early homer and a 2-for-4 effort from Wade Gaynor, but managed just four hits and five baserunners as a team. Lansing (19-14) got a stellar performance from Crawford and a 3-for-4 game from Chris Hopkins on their way to a sweep in the rain-shortened two-game series.

Crawford (2-1) was dominant on Monday, allowing just one run on four hits over eight stifling innings to earn the win. He recorded 17 outs on the ground and retired 15 consecutive batters between the second and sixth innings. Crawford struck out four and walked one.

Each club put a single run on the scoreboard in the opening frame. In the top of the first, Gaynor cleared the berm in left field with a solo shot for his second tape-measure homer in as many games. In the bottom half of the inning, the Lugnuts answered with a two-out rally as Mark Sobolewski singled home Ryan Schimpf for a 1-1 tie.

Lansing took control over the next two frames. The second inning started with a single and a walk before Hopkins and Ryan Goins checked in with run-scoring singles. In the third, Sobolewski led off with a single and scored on an A.J. Jimenez sacrifice fly for a 4-1 advantage.

The Lugnuts went back to work in the sixth as Hopkins delivered a run-scoring two-out single that chased 'Caps starter Jade Todd from the game. Balbino Fuenmayor promptly scored on a wild pitch from reliever Nathan Newman that allowed Hopkins to take second base. Kenny Wilson followed with an infield single that a charging Gaynor could not barehand, and Hopkins raced around third and scored to make it a 7-1 ballgame.

Todd (0-5) suffered the loss for West Michigan, allowing seven runs - six earned - on nine hits over 5.2 innings of work.

The Whitecaps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Thursday, May 13, to open a seven-game homestand with a 6:35 p.m. start against the South Bend Silver Hawks on an Altogas Thrifty Thursday. LHP Giovanni Soto (1-3, 3.07) is slated to take the mound for West Michigan against RHP Chase Anderson (2-3, 2.51) of the Silver Hawks. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

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Midwest League Stories from May 12, 2010


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