West Michigan Erases Early Deficit
Published on July 15, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
GENEVA, IL - The West Michigan Whitecaps got three-hit games from Chad Wright and Pat Leyland on their way to a 6-3 win over the Kane County Cougars on Sunday evening at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark.
The victory ensures that West Michigan (12-11, 48-45) will finish their six-game road trip with a record no worse than .500. After taking two of three from Clinton to start the trip, the 'Caps have a chance to do the same against Kane County (13-10, 47-46) heading into Monday night's rubber match and road trip finale.
After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning on Sunday, the Whitecaps answered with a three-run rally in the top of the second and held the lead the rest of the way.
After Aaron Westlake's leadoff single, Jason Krizan tied the score with a double that split the gap in right-center. Two outs later, there were men at the corners when Edgar Corcino and Wright delivered consecutive run-scoring hits for a 3-1 advantage.
Zach Maggard stretched the lead in the fourth inning with an opposite-field, two-run homer that cleared the fence in right-center for a 5-1 edge.
Tommy Collier (8-6) started and threw five innings for the win. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed three runs on six hits while striking out three and walking one.
He issued a leadoff walk in the fourth that came around to score and a leadoff homer to Danny Mateo in the fifth as Kane County pulled to within 5-3.
Thanks to sparkling relief pitching, that was as close as the Cougars could get. Three West Michigan relievers combined to throw four hitless frames, retiring 12 of the 14 batters they faced and preventing Kane County from putting a runner in scoring position past the fifth inning.
Nick Avila dealt a scoreless sixth inning, Michael Torrealba cruised through the seventh and the eighth, and Dan Bennett (11) worked a perfect ninth inning to earn the save. The only blemishes for the relief corps were a pair of walks that never made it past first base.
Leyland and Wright teamed up to add a key insurance run in the top of the ninth. Leyland led off the final frame with his third single of the night, capping a 3-for-4 day. Two outs later, Wright rolled a groundball single through the right side that pushed the lead to 6-3, finishing a 3-for-5 night that included a pair of RBI.
Nineteen-year-old Kyle Smith (0-1) took the loss for Kane County in just his sixth professional start. The young right-hander was charged with five runs on eight hits over five innings of work.
The Whitecaps wrap up a six-game road trip with the finale of a three-game series against the Kane County Cougars on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. ET. RHP Marcelo Carreno (4-6, 3.38) is scheduled to take the hill for West Michigan against RHP Aaron Brooks (6-9, 5.22) of Kane County. The next home game at Fifth Third Ballpark is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 18, featuring Ronald McDonald Night and post-game fireworks. 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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