MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

West Michigan Wins Homestand-Opener

Published on May 15, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps rallied for five unanswered runs in the opener of a seven-game homestand on Thursday night, beating the Lake County Captains, 5-2, at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (24-16) also got 13 strikeouts from pitchers Kevin Ziomek and Matt Davenport, who limited Lake County (11-29) to just four singles over the course of the night.

After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the fourth, the Whitecaps answered with a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good.

With runners at first and second and two away, Tyler Gibson clubbed a long fly ball to right-center that bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double. Two pitches later, Willy Adames bounced a two-run single through the middle as West Michigan seized a 3-2 lead.

Ziomek and Davenport were suffocating the rest of the way, and the Captains were unable to advance another runner into scoring position.

Ziomek (3-3) won his second straight start, tying a career-high with nine strikeouts and allowing two runs on three hits over 5.2 innings. He got off to a blistering start, fanning the first four batters he faced and striking out seven of the 10 hitters that stepped to the plate in the first three innings.

His only rough patch came in the top of the fourth. After a pair of singles put runners at the corners, Ziomek committed a throwing error on a pickoff attempt followed by a balk as both runners came around to score. He walked the next two batters before settling down and working another 2.2 innings without allowing a hit.

Davenport (1) took over with two outs in the sixth and promptly retired 10 of the next 11 batters to earn his first save of the year. The 6-foot-8 side-armer struck out four without issuing a walk and allowed just one single.

West Michigan tacked on a pair of late insurance runs to tighten their grip on the lead. They rallied for three singles in the seventh, capped by a run-scoring knock from Raph Rhymes. In the eighth, Bennett Pickar split the gap in right-center to score Adames all the way from first and push the lead to 5-2.

Mitch Brown (0-6) took the loss for Lake County, allowing three runs on five hits in 4.2 innings.

The Whitecaps continue their seven-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark on Friday with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch against the Lake County Captains. RHP Chad Green (0-1, 3.80) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Robbie Aviles (0-1, 1.47) of Lake County. 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 May 15, 2014


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