MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Reina's Revenge: Former Cap Slugs Walk-Off

Published on June 1, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


FORT WAYNE, IN - Revenge was in the air on Saturday night at Parkview Field.

The West Michigan Whitecaps let a 5-0 lead slip away and watched former teammate Adolfo Reina club a walk-off homer in the 10th inning of an 8-6 loss to the Fort Wayne TinCaps at Parkview Field.

Prior to Reina's late heroics, former Fort Wayne (25-30) outfielder Wynton Bernard reached base five times out of the Whitecaps' leadoff spot to help West Michigan (31-25) build a seemingly comfortable lead.

But, despite holding advantages of 5-0 and 6-3, the Whitecaps could not hang on.

West Michigan took a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but Midwest League RBI-leader Dustin Peterson golfed a 2-0 pitch from Montreal Robertson inside the left field foul pole for a game-tying solo home run.

In the 10th, Jake Bauers reached base on a leadoff single against Scott Sitz and was replaced by pinch-runner Mallex Smith, the league's stolen base leader. Smith stole second and took third on a sacrifice bunt, putting all the pressure on Sitz and his defense as Reina dug in.

The 24-year-old catcher, acquired by the San Diego Padres from the Detroit Tigers in the Rule V draft over the off-season, was 0-for-4 on the night when he stepped into the batter's box. On a 1-1 pitch, Reina clobbered a two-run homer to left for the 8-6 victory.

Tayron Guerrero (4-0) earned the win despite facing just one batter, retiring Javier Betancourt in the top of the 10th to strand two inherited runners. Sitz (2-5) was charged with two runs in one-third of an inning for the loss.

For the first nine innings it was Bernard who was getting the better of his old team, filling out the box score with a 3-for-4 night that included two walks, two stolen bases, a run and an RBI in his return to Parkview Field. Betancourt and Willy Adames were both 2-for-5 and Betancourt and Raph Rhymes drove in two runs apiece. Starting pitcher Austin Kubitza held the TinCaps to one earned run over six innings but did not figure into the decision.

The Whitecaps broke onto the scoreboard in the top of the third, loading the bases with nobody out before a sacrifice fly by Betancourt and a two-run single by Raph Rhymes provided a 3-0 lead. One inning later, a pair of Fort Wayne errors set the stage for run-scoring two-out singles by Bernard and Betancourt that pushed the lead to 5-0.

But the TinCaps stormed back, taking advantage of three Whitecaps' errors to plate single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. After an RBI-double by Adames in the seventh made it a 6-3 game, Bauers drilled an RBI-double and came around to score in the eighth to trim the margin to 6-5.

The Whitecaps continue a three-game road series against the Fort Wayne TinCaps at 3:05 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at Parkview Field. RHP Jon Maciel (2-2, 3.69) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against LHP Payton Baskette (1-1, 3.53) of Fort Wayne. The next home game at Fifth Third Ballpark is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4, at 7:00 p.m. with an appearance by Roary from the Detroit Lions and post-game Family Fare fireworks. Season, 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 1, 2014


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