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MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Hot Rods Even Series

April 15, 2010 - Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


BOWLING GREEN, KY - The West Michigan Whitecaps ran into a stingy bullpen and went just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position on Thursday night, losing by a 2-1 score to the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Bowling Green Ballpark.

West Michigan (3-5) still has a chance for a second consecutive series victory heading into the rubber match of the three-game set on Friday night. The difference in Thursday's game was a solo homer by Eligio Sonoqui in the sixth inning that broke up a 1-1 tie and gave Bowling Green (3-5) the decisive margin.

After Sonoqui's longball made it a 2-1 game, the Hot Rods bullpen took over. Alex Koronis (2-0), Matt Stabelfeld and Kirby Yates (1) combined to toss four shutout innings that featured seven strikeouts against just one hit and one walk. While the Whitecaps got leadoff baserunners in the eighth and ninth, they were unable to push across the potential game-tying run on either occasion.

Luis Sanz (0-2) suffered the loss for West Michigan after giving up the decisive home run.

Jacob Turner, the ninth overall pick in the 2009 draft, made his second professional start for the Whitecaps. Though his control was not as sharp as it was in his pro debut, the 18-year-old fireballer battled and allowed just one run over four innings.

The Hot Rods did get to him early, jumping onto the scoreboard with three first-inning singles. Dustin Biell got it started with a one-out liner to center and proceeded to steal second. After a groundout moved him to third, Sonoqui's bouncer to the mound glanced off the glove of a leaping Turner, allowing Biell to score for the game's first run.

West Michigan tied the score in the fourth. Avisail Garcia lined a one-out pitch to right-center and turned it into a double after the ball skipped past the outfielder. Later in the frame, he scored the game-tying run on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Michael Rockett.

The 1-1 tie lasted until the sixth. On an 0-1 pitch, Sonoqui blasted a leadoff homer to right-center to put Bowling Green ahead by a 2-1 score.

The Whitecaps wrap up their road series in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with an 8:05 p.m. ET start against the Hot Rods on Friday, April 16. LHP Giovanni Soto (1-0, 1.80) will take the mound for West Michigan against Bowling Green RHP Wilking Rodriguez (0-0, 7.20). The Whitecaps will be back at 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.

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