MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Holm's Bat, John's Arm Highlight Shutout Win

Published on May 8, 2013 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


BOWLING GREEN, KY - The West Michigan Whitecaps got off to a strong start on their nine-game, three-city road trip on Wednesday night, outlasting the Bowling Green Hot Rods for a 2-0 victory in a thrilling pitchers' duel at Bowling Green Ballpark.

West Michigan (14-16) claimed their third shutout victory of the season behind Jordan John, who earned his first professional win and led a trio of Whitecaps in a seven-hit shutout. Three Bowling Green (20-11) pitchers were nearly as good, racking up 13 strikeouts but making one costly mistake.

The only runs of the game crossed the plate in the top of the first inning. After Devon Travis extended his league-best hitting streak to 17 games with a two-out single, Jeff Holm blasted the first pitch he saw over the right field fence for a two-run homer.

The 2-0 lead was enough for John, who out-dueled the Hot Rods' Blake Snell in a brilliant battle of lefties.

John (1-2), the Detroit Tigers' sixth-round pick in last summer's draft, induced groundball after groundball on his way to 6.2 scoreless innings. The 22-year-old southpaw scattered six hits and allowed just two runners to reach scoring position, striking out four and issuing one walk. John induced a pair of groundball double plays and registered one pickoff, recording 13 of his 20 outs on groundballs or groundball double plays.

After allowing a pair of two-out singles in the seventh, he was relieved by Brennan Smith with men at first and second. Smith struck out Granden Goetzman to strand both inherited runners and went on to throw 1.1 scoreless innings of relief. He extended his personal scoreless innings streak to 16.1 frames and has not allowed a run since April 7 - a span of more than a month.

Jose Valdez (6) worked the ninth inning, converting his sixth save in as many tries and maintaining his flawless 0.00 ERA. Though he issued two walks and uncorked a wild pitch that moved the potential game-tying run into scoring position, the hard-throwing right-hander got Marty Gantt to bounce-out back to the mound and end the threat.

Overshadowed by the Whitecaps' shutout victory was a spectacular pitching performance by Snell (1-3) and the Hot Rods.

After allowing the two-run homer to Holm in the top of the first, Snell - rated by Baseball America as the No. 9 prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays' organization - set down the next 16 batters that he faced in order. The 20-year-old left-hander did not allow another baserunner and racked up a career-high 10 strikeouts, including six consecutive punch-outs as he blew through the second and third innings. Snell was charged with two runs on three hits and no walks over six innings, bouncing back from the early blemish to turn in a dominant performance.

Reliever Jordan Harrison took over for Snell in the seventh and retired the first five batters he faced, combining with Snell to set down 21 straight batters between the first and eighth innings. West Michigan advanced just one runner into scoring position after the opening frame.

The Whitecaps continue their nine-game, three-city road trip with the middle game of a three-game series against the Bowling Green Hot Rods at 8:05 p.m. ET on Thursday night. RHP Endrys Briceno (0-2, 6.26) is scheduled to start for West Michigan against RHP Dylan Floro (2-0, 1.08) of the Hot Rods. The Whitecaps' next home game at Fifth Third Ballpark will be on Friday, May 17, at 6:35 p.m. featuring an Avisail Garcia bobblehead doll giveaway for the first 1,000 fans. Group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.

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Midwest League Stories from May 8, 2013


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