Perry a Hazard to Captains, Hawks Clinch Playoff Berth

June 11, 2014 - Midwest League (MWL1)
South Bend Silver Hawks News Release


Blake Perry came off the disabled list and promptly threw a dominating six innings, allowing no hits and just two baserunners as the South Bend Silver Hawks (39-26) clinched a playoff berth with a 5-3 victory over the Lake County Captains (24-42) on Wednesday night at Four Winds Field. Right fielder Stryker Trahan and catcher Michael Perez homered in the game as the Hawks plated single runs in the first three innings and the fifth to take a 4-0 lead that the Captains were never able to make up.

The Hawks jumped out to a lead in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, center fielder Breland Almadova walked. First baseman Daniel Palka then smacked the first pitch from Captains starter Jordan Milbrath (L, 1-8) off the top of the right-center field wall for an RBI triple that would have been a home run in most other parks in the league.

South Bend, the Class-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, doubled their lead with a run in the bottom of the second. Second baseman Jamie Westbrook led off with a ground ball single through the right side past a diving Claudio Bautista at second. Perez walked to put runners at first and second. Designated hitter Marty Herum drove in the second run of the game for the Hawks with a single over the shortstop's head to score Westbrook for a 2-0 lead. Milbrath would recover to escape the inning with no further damage as the Hawks left the bases loaded.

The Hawks kept on scoring with another run in the third inning. After Milbrath retired the first hitter, Trahan launched a 1-2 pitch over the right-center field wall for a solo home run and a 3-0 lead. It was Trahan's eighth home run of the season but just his second of the season at home.

Third baseman George Roberts came through in the bottom of the fifth inning for the Hawks as they extended the lead to 4-0. Roberts led off the inning with a triple into the right-center field gap. After Trahan was retired on a grounder to first, Westbrook hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Roberts.

Perry (W, 5-2) was masterful in his return off the DL as he mowed down the Captains hitters. He struck out six in six innings of work and faced just one batter over the minimum. He allowed a two-out walk in the first and hit a batter in the second who was retired on a double play. Otherwise, he easily worked his way through the Lake County lineup.

Lake County, the Class-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, was certainly relieved to see Perry out of the game as they struck back against Hawks reliever Austin Platt in the seventh. With one out, shortstop Paul Hendrix broke up the no-hitter with a solid single through the right side. Platt retired the next hitter for the second out of the inning but then walked left fielder Dorssys Paulino. Designated hitter Torsten Boss then hit a triple high off the right field wall that scored both runners and cut the lead to 4-2. Third baseman Grant Fink worked a walk and that would be all for Platt as left-hander Jose Jose entered the game in relief. He allowed an RBI single to catcher Richard Stock before getting right fielder Cody Ferrell to fly out to right to end the inning with the Hawks ahead 4-3.

South Bend extended the lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh. Justin Brantley was on the mound in relief of Milbrath and after retiring the first two hitters of the inning, gave up a solo homer to Perez that just cleared the right field wall for a 5-3 lead. Jose tossed a perfect eighth inning including two strikeouts and Silvino Bracho (S, 11) pitched a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts to keep pace atop the Midwest League leaderboard in saves.

The Hawks and the Captains finish off the three game series on Thursday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm. Righty Robbie Aviles (1-1, 1.70 ERA) gets the start for Lake County while righty John Omahen (1-1, 1.93 ERA) takes the ball for South Bend. It is Thirsty Thursday at Four Winds Field so come on out to the ballpark and enjoy $2 22 ounce sodas and 16 ounce beers all night long.



Midwest League Stories from June 11, 2014


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