Pacheco, Pen Push 'Caps to 5-4 Win
MWL West Michigan Whitecaps

Pacheco, Pen Push 'Caps to 5-4 Win

Published on August 13, 2025 under Midwest League (MWL)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


FORT WAYNE, IN - The West Michigan Whitecaps took advantage of a two-homer night from Izaac Pacheco and got a splendid performance from a trio of relief pitchers in a 5-4 win over the Fort Wayne TinCaps on Wednesday night at Parkview Field.

Pacheco, who first joined the 'Caps in 2022, reached double-digit homers in a season for the second time in his Whitecaps career, with the last coming in 2023. The two blasts bring his 'Caps career total to 32 - just two home runs shy of the franchise record held by infielder Rey Rivera (34). Meanwhile, the bullpen of Marco Jimenez, Haden Erbe, who celebrated his 27th birthday in the victory, and Moises Rodriguez tossed 4.2 innings of scoreless baseball to help send the 'Caps to become just the second team in Minor League Baseball to hit 75 wins on the season, joining the Greensboro Grasshoppers (76) of the South Atlantic League.

The first of the two Pacheco homers came in the opening frame when TinCaps starter Clark Candiotti walked two of the first three batters he faced before Pacheco pounded a 1-2 pitch over the right-center field wall for his ninth home run of the season, giving West Michigan a 3-0 lead. After the TinCaps scored two in the second, Pacheco added his second homer in the third with a solo shot to give the 'Caps a 4-2 advantage. The home run for Pacheco was his second on the night and tenth of the season, helping him join Whitecaps infielder Andrew Jenkins, along with former 'Caps Josue Briceno (15) and John Peck (10), with double-digit home runs on the season. Two more runs for the TinCaps in the third helped Fort Wayne tie the contest before Archer Brookman's fourth-inning sacrifice fly helped the Whitecaps retake the lead at 5-4. At that point, the bullpens on both sides took over, as West Michigan's held the TinCaps entirely off the scoreboard. The 'Caps bullpen did not allow a TinCap to advance farther than first base en route to the victory.

The Whitecaps improve to 31-13 in the second half and 75-34 overall, while the TinCaps fall to 20-24 in the second half and 51-58 on the season. Jimenez (3-1) worked a perfect 1.2 frames out of the bullpen to collect his third win, while Fort Wayne lefty Fernando Sanchez (3-3) took the tough-luck loss despite allowing just one run in a season-high 4.1 frames out of the TinCaps bullpen. Rodriguez picks up his second save with a scoreless ninth and is now 10-for-12 in save opportunities between the 'Caps and Single-A Lakeland. Through two games of this series, the 'Caps bullpen has allowed just two earned runs in 10.2 innings. At the plate, infielder Andrew Jenkins went 1-for-3 with a walk and extended his hitting streak to 20 games.

UP NEXT

The Whitecaps continue this six-game series against the Fort Wayne Tincaps from Parkview Field on Thursday at 6:35 pm. Hayden Minton and Sam Whiting are the scheduled starting pitchers for the Whitecaps and TinCaps. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:20 pm on 106.1 FM 'The Ticket', and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids. Catch all the action on the radio or listen to the game live at whitecapsbaseball.com.

PLAYOFF PLANS

The 'Caps will host a playoff game the second week of September, scheduled for Thursday, the 11th at 6:35 pm against the second-half Midwest League Eastern Division champion. Individual tickets are on sale at whitecapsbaseball.com.

Check out the West Michigan Whitecaps Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Midwest League Stories from August 13, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central