Pacheco Homers Twice in 6-5 Win
Published on May 30, 2024 under Midwest League (MWL)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - West Michigan Whitecaps third baseman and Detroit Tigers top-30 prospect Izaac Pacheco blasted two home runs while starting pitcher Dylan Smith enjoyed his best start of the season in a 6-5 victory over the Great Lakes Loons in front of 6,542 fans Thursday night at LMCU Ballpark.
Pacheco matched his season home run total in just two plate appearances, finishing 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI - including a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning. Meanwhile, Smith had the longest start of any Whitecaps pitcher this year, allowing one run through six innings while matching the team record in strikeouts with eight.
The Loons grabbed the 1-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single from designated hitter Chris Newell, but it didn't take long for Smith to settle in, allowing just three baserunners and one hit for the remainder of his start. Meanwhile, Loons starting pitcher Jackson Ferris pitched four scoreless frames before the 'Caps broke into the scoreboard in the fifth inning, as Pacheco added his first homer - an opposite-field solo shot - before Max Anderson broke the tie with an RBI groundout in the sixth, forging West Michigan in front 2-1.
Pacheco added his second home run in the seventh, but the Loons fought back, plating two runs in the eighth, featured by an RBI triple from Kyle Nevin to level the game at 3-3. Pacheco struck again in the bottom half, shooting an RBI double into center field before Danny Serretti dropped a two-run double into the right field corner - delivering West Michigan a commanding 6-3 advantage. Great Lakes rallied in the top of the ninth as Noah Miller and Dylan Campbell both added RBI singles - but it was too late - as Whitecaps reliever Gabe Sequeira struck out Loons first baseman Kyle Nevin to earn West Michigan the slim 6-5 win.
The Whitecaps improve to 25-23 on the season - tying their best mark of the year - while the Loons fall to 26-22. Whitecaps reliever Cleiverth Perez (3-0) gets his third win of the year, allowing two runs through an inning pitched, while Great Lakes reliever Edgardo Henriquez (0-1) suffers his first loss, giving up three runs through 1.1 innings. Thursday's win marks the first multi-homer game in Pacheco's career, as the Whitecaps improve to 14-6 over their last 20 games and 7-2 against the Great Lakes Loons - the highest winning percentage (77.8%) of any team in the Midwest League against Great Lakes this season.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps continue this six-game series against the Great Lakes Loons Friday Night at 6:35 pm. Righty Colin Fields gets the call for the Whitecaps against the Loons Jerming Rosario. To catch all the action, tune into the broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Nate Wangler on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:20 pm on 106.1 FM ' The Ticket ' and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids. Don't miss out on the excitement; get your tickets for all 2024 home contests or listen to the games live at whitecapsbaseball.com.
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