MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Snell Leads Way In Four-Hit Shutout

April 22, 2014 - Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Offense was hard to come by for the West Michigan Whitecaps in a 5-0 loss to the Bowling Green Hot Rods on a cold and windy Tuesday afternoon at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (9-9) was doomed to a four-hit shutout by Hot Rods' starter Blake Snell and a pair of Bowling Green (4-13) relievers.

Despite entering the series on a 13-game losing streak, Bowling Green won the first two games of a four-game series by virtue of their two biggest hit totals of the season, collecting 15 knocks on Monday night and 12 more Tuesday afternoon.

Three of those hits came on consecutive one-out singles in the top of the first as Bowling Green seized an early lead and never gave it up. The hits by Kean Wong, Johnny Field and Paul Blair led to a 1-0 advantage. Whitecaps' starter Kevin Ziomek responded with a strikeout and a groundball to nearly escape the jam, but a fielding error by third baseman Brett Harrison extended the inning and enabled the Hot Rods to grab a 3-0 lead.

That was more than enough offense for Snell (1-2), who dealt six shutout innings and allowed just three hits. The left-hander was a groundball machine, earning 13 of his outs on groundballs while fanning three and walking two. Snell threw 56 of his 85 pitches for strikes. He allowed just two runners to reach scoring position, each of which later ran into outs at third base.

After his departure, Andrew Hanse allowed one hit over two shutout innings and Luis Cabrera capped the four-hitter with a hitless ninth.

Bowling Green pulled away in the late-going with an RBI-double by Oscar Hernandez in the eighth and a run-scoring single by Kean Wong in the ninth to cement the 5-0 final.

Ziomek (0-2) suffered the loss for West Michigan. The Detroit Tigers' second-round pick in the 2013 draft allowed just one earned run despite dealing with baserunners throughout his five innings of work. Ziomek was charged with three total runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out four, picked off two baserunners and did not allow a run to score after the opening frame.

The Whitecaps continue a seven-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with a 12:00 p.m. first pitch against the Bowling Green Hot Rods on Wednesday afternoon. RHP Chad Green (0-0, 3.18) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Jake Faria (0-1, 1.88) of Bowling Green. Each day of the seven-game "Dollar Days" homestand will feature a different $1 special, including $1 reserved seats for seniors 50 and over on Wednesday courtesy of SA Advisory Group. 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 April 22, 2014


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