Gold Is Grand in 6-3 'Caps Win
May 9, 2024 - Midwest League (MWL)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps saw a stellar pitching performance from starter Carlos Marcano and one grand swing from Luke Gold, which earned them a 6-3 victory over the Fort Wayne TinCaps Thursday evening at LMCU Ballpark.
Marcano enjoyed his best start of the season, going five innings while allowing just one run on five strikeouts as Gold blasted the 'Caps second grand slam of the year - and the second of his professional career - extending the Whitecaps win streak to four-straight.
Fort Wayne grabbed the lead in the second inning as shortstop Nik McClaughry plated Nerwilian Cedeño on a sacrifice fly, putting Fort Wayne on top 1-0. Meanwhile, TinCaps starter Miguel Cienfuegos held West Michigan to just one hit through the first four frames before the 'Caps exploded for five runs in the bottom of the fifth - as Max Anderson added an RBI single before the grand slam homer by Gold - jumping in front 5-1. Whitecaps reliever Tanner Kohlhepp took over for Marcano in the sixth, tossing two scoreless frames with a pair of punchouts to maintain the 5-1 lead. The TinCaps and Whitecaps traded individual runs in the eighth, as Cedeño delivered a two-run single before 'Caps shortstop Peyton Graham lifted a sacrifice fly in the bottom half, increasing their advantage to 6-3. McClaughry led off the top of the ninth with a single, but it was too late for Fort Wayne, as closer Marco Jimenez slammed the door and earned West Michigan the 6-3 victory.
The victory propels the Whitecaps to a 14-16 record, while the TinCaps' loss drops them to 10-20. Marcano, with his first win of the season, improves his record to 1-3, while Cienfuegos, with his third loss, falls to 2-3. The win also marks the Whitecaps' longest winning streak of the season so far. Gold's grand slam makes him the first Whitecaps player to achieve this feat since 'Caps catcher Josh Crouch did so on April 18, in a 12-0 victory over the Great Lakes Loons in Midland, Michigan.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps and TinCaps move their six-game series at LMCU Ballpark to a rare Friday morning contest beginning at 11:00 am. Righties Garrett Burhenn and Henry Baez get the starts for West Michigan and Fort Wayne. Don't miss the action; tune into broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Nate Wangler on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 10:45 am on 106.1 FM ' The Ticket ' and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids. Get tickets for all 2024 home contests or listen to games live at whitecapsbaseball.com.
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