MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Whitecaps blow late lead

Published on July 9, 2005 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


CLINTON, IA - One week after West Michigan rallied for five runs in the bottom of the ninth and rallied to beat Clinton, 7-6 in 10 innings, the Lumberkings turned the tables with a three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth Saturday on their way to a 6-5 victory in 16 innings. Clinton has won the first two games in the four game series at Alliant Energy Park after they were swept by the Whitecaps in a four game set at Fifth Third Ballpark last weekend. The loss ends a steak of eight consecutive extra inning wins for West Michigan.

It was the team's longest game since Game Four of the Midwest League Championship Series, September 18, 2004. That was a 16-inning loss to Kane County. The last 16-inning game during the regular season was a 2-1 win versus South Bend on April 12, 2002. Saturday's game fell 17 minutes shy of the longest game in team history, which lasted 4 hours and 36 minutes as the Whitecaps defeated Lansing 6-5 on June 30, 2002. The Whitecaps are now 9-4 in extra inning games, while Clinton is 4-4. The longest game for either team this season prior to Saturday was 13 innings, which had been played three times by the Whitecaps. West Michigan took a 4-0 lead into the eighth inning behind seven shutout innings from starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens. Nick McInytre led off the fourth with his fifth home run of the season. The solo shot gave West Michigan its first lead, 1-0. With three consecutive extra base hits to start the seventh, West Michigan grabbed a 4-0 advantage. Josh Lee led off with a double, Jeff

Frazier followed with an RBI double and Wilkin Ramirez drove and RBI triple to center then scored on a wild pitch. Clinton broke up the shutout with an RBI sacrifice fly by Ben Harrison in the eighth.

In the bottom of the ninth, Anthony Tomey was brought in to try for his fifth consecutive save. Instead, he allowed two hits and four walks as the Lumberkings rallied to tie the game. Tomey's fourth walk tied the game. Clinton batted around and left the bases loaded. Neither team scored again until the 16th inning when Frazier drove in McIntyre with two out for a 5-4 West Michigan lead. But in the bottom of the inning, Harrison came through with an RBI triple, then scored to win the game on a sacrifice fly to center by Casey Benjamin.

Clinton used only three pitchers: Eric Hurley who allowed one run on two hits through six innings, then was touched for three more run in his final third of an inning on the mound; Mark Roberts, who pitched 4.2 shutout innings to carry the team into extra innings; and John Lujan, who allowed the run in the top of the 16, but pitched the final five innings to earn the victory. West Michigan relievers Lavon Lewis and Kevin Ardoin each tossed two shout innings in extra innings. Ardoin escaped the 13th despite back-to-back singles that started the inning and put runners at the corners with no outs. Ardoin struck out the next three batters in a row to force the 14th. Ed Clelland finished the game for West Michigan and took the loss.

Fool Me Once, Shame On You... For the second time in ten days, Whitecaps manager Matt Walbeck caught the Lumberkings batting out of order. On June 30 at Fifth Third Ballpark and on Saturday, Andrew Wishy (7th) and Ben Harrison (8th) batted in reverse order the first time through the lineup. Then, when Harrison reached base the second time through the order, Walbeck pointed out the mistake, Wishy was out and Harrison was forced to bat again. On Saturday, Harrison walked with two out in the fifth in Wishy's place. After the mistake was pointed out, the inning was over, but Harrison led off the sixth with a double.

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