MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Quiet Bats Lead To First Series Loss In A Month

Published on June 24, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps lost their first series in a month on Sunday afternoon, dropping the rubber match of a three-game set against the South Bend Silver Hawks by a 4-1 score at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (1-2, 37-36) was quiet offensively for the second straight day as their streak of six consecutive series victories came to an end. South Bend (2-1, 37-36) took a 5-4 lead in the season-series, bouncing back from a 7-1 loss on Friday to win two in a row over the weekend.

The Silver Hawks were led by left-hander John Pedrotty, who turned in one of his best performances of the season and outdueled Whitecaps' All-Star starter Tommy Collier.

Pedrotty (4-5) allowed a run in the first inning but nothing else, throwing seven strong frames of four-hit baseball. He used three key double plays to stifle a series of potential rallies in the middle innings and struck out three with two walks. Following the first inning, Pedrotty did not allow a runner to reach scoring position and did not allow multiple baserunners in an inning.

Collier, meanwhile, did not allow a hit until the fourth and carried a 1-0 lead into the sixth. After a one-out walk, however, South Bend's Eric Groff drilled a double that bounced to the wall in right-center. Tom Belza, who was running on the pitch, scored all the way from first base to even the game at 1-1.

Collier did not figure into the decision, yielding just one run on three hits over six solid innings.

The Silver Hawks broke through in the next frame, plating three runs in the top of the seventh to seize control.

A walk and a catcher's interference put two runners aboard and a sacrifice bunt advanced them to second and third. Raul Navarro broke up the tie with a run-scoring bounce-out while Belza and Groff each provided two-out, RBI-singles for the 4-1 lead.

South Bend relievers Kable Hogben and Matt Sample (4) fired off two scoreless innings to finish the game, with Sample earning the save.

Nick Avila (2-2) suffered the loss, allowing three runs - two earned - on two hits while recording just two outs.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game homestand at 7:00 p.m. on Monday night with the opener of a three-game series against the Bowling Green Hot Rods. RHP Marcelo Carreno (2-4, 3.44) is scheduled to take the hill for West Michigan against LHP Felipe Rivero (6-5, 2.42) of Bowling Green on a JQ99 FM All Faith's night, offering half-price box or reserved tickets to fans that bring a worship or community bulletin to the box office. Group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.

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Midwest League Stories from June 24, 2012


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