Late Grand Slam Dooms West Michigan
Published on May 17, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - An eighth-inning grand slam by Grant Fink was the decisive blow on Saturday night, dealing the West Michigan Whitecaps a 5-2 loss to the Lake County Captains at Fifth Third Ballpark.
After a red-hot stretch in which West Michigan (24-18) won 12 of 14 games from April 26-May 9, the Whitecaps have cooled off with five losses in their last seven games. Meanwhile, the comeback win for Lake County (13-29) gave the Captains back-to-back road victories for just the first time all season.
The Whitecaps took a 2-1 lead in the third inning and held it into the eighth before Lake County rallied against the bullpen.
Lefty reliever Joe Mantiply had already worked two scoreless innings of relief at that point, heading into the eighth inning with just two runs allowed through his first 28.2 innings on the year. But, after a leadoff single, he issued full-count walks to each of the next two batters as the Captains loaded the bases with nobody out.
West Michigan called on Zac Reininger to try and wiggle out of the jam, but Fink greeted him with a towering fly to left on a 1-0 count that sailed over the fence for a game-changing grand slam.
The Captains' 5-2 lead held up thanks to Luis Lugo (1-4), who worked four scoreless innings of relief to earn his first win of the year. The lefty baffled the Whitecaps' with his changeup and allowed just one single with five strikeouts and one walk.
Mantiply (2-1) suffered his first loss of the year. He was charged with three runs on three hits in two innings, giving up more runs in the eighth inning on Saturday than he did in his first 13 outings of the year combined.
The West Michigan offense hit the ball hard all night, but time and time again their line drives went unrewarded. The only rally of the night came with two outs in the bottom of the third.
Trailing 1-0, Tim Remes looped a liner to left for a seemingly harmless two-out single. But Tyler Gibson drilled a run-scoring double high off the right field wall and, on the very next pitch, Javier Betancourt lined an RBI-single to left-center as the 'Caps snatched a 2-1 lead.
The Whitecaps continue their seven-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark on Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch against the Lake County Captains. RHP Buck Farmer (4-3, 2.50) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Jordan Milbrath (1-3, 2.13) of Lake County. In addition to pre-game player autographs, catch on the field and the rest of the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Day promotions, there will also be a special appearance by the Cat in the Hat courtesy of WGVU. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps' front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.
Midwest League Stories from May 17, 2014
- Chiefs Win 2-1 in 12 Saturday - Peoria Chiefs
- Cougars' Pitchers Combine for 8th No-Hitter in Franchise History - Kane County Cougars
- Cougars' Skulina, Dorris No-Hit Bandits, 3-0 - Quad Cities River Bandits
- LumberKings Shut out Again by Beloit, 6-0 - Clinton LumberKings
- Peoria gets Wisconsin in the twelfth - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Skulina, Dorris Combine for Franchise's 8th - Kane County Cougars
- Bees Take Down Kernels - Burlington Bees
- Dantzler, Dawson down Dayton, 8-3 - Lansing Lugnuts
- Loons Fall to Hot Rods 5-2 at Dow Diamond - Great Lakes Loons
- Burlington Tops Kernels 7-2 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Silver Hawks, McQuail's Power Hitting, Light Up Downtown - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Late Grand Slam Dooms West Michigan - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Hot Rods Plate One in Eighth and Three in Ninth to Beat Loons - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Fink's Slam Lifts Captains to 5-2 Win over Whitecaps - Lake County Captains
- Lugnuts Top Dragons 8-3 on Saturday - Dayton Dragons
- TinCaps Drop Third Straight at South Bend - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Lugnuts Place Robson on DL, Activate Del Rosario - Lansing Lugnuts
- Kernels Homestand Preview: May 19-21 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Dragons GameDay for Saturday - Dayton Dragons
- Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Homestand Highlights: May 19-21 - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- L'Kings Drop Both Games of DH vs. Beloit - Clinton LumberKings
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