Long balls help West Michigan edge Devil Rays
Published on May 26, 2006 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
BATTLE CREEK, MI - Rafael Mendez and Michael Hernandez each hit their first home runs of the season for the Whitecaps in a 4-3 win over Southwest Michigan. With the win, West Michigan stays within a half game of Lansing, who leads the Midwest League Eastern Division.
The Lugnuts beat Fort Wayne, 5-3 on Friday.
Erik Averill threw six innings as the West Michigan starter and allowed just two earned runs. The final Devil Ray run was unearned, thanks to an error in the sixth inning.
Justin Justice drove in the winning run on a single to center field in the eighth inning.
Hernandez scored the game winner. He blasted a solo home run that put the Whitecaps in front, 3-2 in the sixth and also tied the game with an RBI single in the fourth.
Rafael Mendez put West Michigan on top, 2-1 in the fifth with a solo shot to right.
Ricky Steik earned the win with two innings of scoreless relief. Orlando Perdomo pitched a perfect ninth to record his team-leading 13th lead.
Outfield Shuffle: Justin Justice started the game in center field for the Whitecaps with Jeramy Laster in right and Pedro Cotto in left. But in the top of the second inning, Justice re-aggravated a sprained ankle as he broke from the batters box on a ground ball. He stayed in the game but moved to left field. Laster went to center and Cotto was sent to right.
Another Bruise: In the fifth inning, Justice banged into the left field wall while trying to catch an RBI double off the bat of Hunter Vick. Justice was momentarily shaken up, but again remained in the game.
Midwest League Stories from May 26, 2006
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- Cougars Bite Rattlers for Ninth in a Row - Kane County Cougars
- Silver Hawks defeat Dayton - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Pitching dominates as Swing lose nailbiter - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Whitecaps Long Ball too Much for Devil Rays - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Error Gives L-Kings Extra-Inning Win - Clinton LumberKings
- Bees Send Snappers to Sixth Straight Loss - Beloit Sky Carp
- Rattler skid reaches four - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Long balls help West Michigan edge Devil Rays - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Silver Hawks Spoil Strong Dragons Pitching - Dayton Dragons
- Lansing Wins Third Consecutive Game - Lansing Lugnuts
- Hill joins Kernels, set to take the hill on Monday - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Lumber Kings Baseball Club starts June 17 - Clinton LumberKings
- All-Star festivities come to John O'Donnell - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Williams Trade Nets Dragons a Righty - Dayton Dragons
- Crabtree Rejoins LumberKings - Clinton LumberKings
- Duarte Delivers in the Clutch - Burlington Bees
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