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MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Gaynor, Sanz Brothers Fall to Dayton

July 5, 2010 - Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps nearly overcame a four-run deficit on Monday night, putting the potential game-tying run on base in the ninth inning before falling by a 6-5 score to the Dayton Dragons at Fifth Third Ballpark.

Wade Gaynor had a huge 3-for-4 night that included a triple, a home run, and four RBI, nearly single-handedly leading the West Michigan (3-8, 29-51) comeback effort against Dayton (3-8, 33-47).

Gaynor's big day started early with a solo homer in the first and a run-scoring single in the third that put the ‘Caps ahead 2-0.

Dayton responded in the fourth as a three-run homer by Henry Rodriguez put the Dragons out in front. The visitors tacked on two more runs in the seventh and another in the eighth to stretch their lead to 6-2.

In the bottom of the eighth, Gaynor went back to work.

After a pair of walks opened the inning, the 22-year-old third baseman clubbed a 3-1 pitch to the base of the wall in center field, plating both runners with a one-out triple. The very next pitch squirted past the catcher, prompting Gaynor to race home and slide beneath the tag to bring West Michigan to within 6-5.

Unfortunately, that was as close as the ‘Caps could get.

Hernan Perez singled with one out in the ninth to give West Michigan a chance, but Dayton closer Kevin Arico - the NCAA saves leader at the University of Virginia this spring - induced a pair of groundouts to end the game with his first professional save.

Tim Crabbe (2-1) earned the win for the Dragons, settling in after a shaky start to hold the Whitecaps to two runs over six innings.

Early on, the story of the night was a Whitecaps starting battery that featured a pair of siblings - pitcher Luis Angel Sanz and catcher Luis Alberto Sanz. It is unclear whether two brothers with the same first name have ever made up a starting battery in a professional baseball game before, but only 16 times at the major league level have two brothers ever worked in the same battery. On none of those occasions did the brothers share the same first name, with the most recent occurrence involving Larry and Norm Sherry of the 1962 Los Angeles Dodgers.

The elder Sanz (0-3), a 22-year-old pitcher, was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs on five hits in 6.2 innings of work. His younger brother, the 19-year-old Luis Alberto, went 1-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.

The Whitecaps wrap up an Independence Day series at Fifth Third Ballpark against the Dayton Dragons with a Noon start on Tuesday, July 6. RHP Trevor Feeney (7-7, 3.29) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP J.C. Sulbaran (3-4, 4.71) of the Dragons. The contest will feature all-you-can-eat food specials on a Fat Tuesday, and a Bob Evans Senior Day offers fans ages 50 and over half-price box and reserved seats.

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