MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Whitecaps Click, Blank Bowling Green To Complete Sweep

Published on June 27, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps treated a boisterous crowd of 7,344 to a show on Wedesnday night, breaking out for seven runs in a two-inning span and completing a three-game series sweep over the Bowling Green Hot Rods with a 7-0 win at Fifth Third Ballpark.

It was the third sweep of the season for West Michigan (4-2, 40-36), who picked up their fifth shutout win while improving to a season-best four games over .500. The 'Caps also improved to 7-2 against Bowling Green (3-3, 41-35) and are the only Eastern Division team with a winning record against the playoff-bound Hot Rods.

Starting pitcher Wilsen Palacios (9-4) earned the victory and tied Burlington's Drew Granier for the most wins in the Midwest League. Eugenio Suarez went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple while Lance Durham was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBI.

The game featured nothing but zeros through the first five innings, but the 'Caps broke open a previously scoreless game with a four-run outburst in the bottom of the sixth.

Suarez sparked the rally with the first of four consecutive hits, a ground-rule double that bounced once and cleared the wall in left field. Aaron Westlake beat out a bunt-single to put runners at the corners, and Durham followed by lining a double over the left fielder to score Suarez and chase Hot Rods' starter Ryan Carpenter from the ballgame.

After the pitching change, Brandon Loy continued the rally with a run-scoring groundball single up the middle. Gabriel Purroy followed with a hot smash that cruised right through the third baseman's legs and rolled all the way past the left fielder as two more runs scored for a 4-0 advantage.

West Michigan put the game out of reach with three more runs in the seventh, highlighted by an RBI-triple from Suarez and a run-scoring single by Durham for the 7-0 final.

Palacios cruised to the victory, dealing 7.2 scoreless innings and striking out three without issuing a walk. Four of the six hits against him came in the first three innings, but the 22-year-old from Venezuela used a pair of double play balls to squash rallies in the first and second frames. He then settled in and retired 16 of 17 batters between the third and eighth innings, combining with reliever Ramon Lebron for the six-hit shutout.

Carpenter (7-4) took the loss for Bowling Green, struggling with his control but fighting through five scoreless innings before the 'Caps got to him in the sixth. He was charged with three runs on seven hits over five frames, and has now suffered two of his four losses against West Michigan.

The Whitecaps hit the road for a six-game trip that begins on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. with the opener of a three-game series against the Lake County Captains at Classic Park. LHP Kyle Ryan (4-3, 3.88) is scheduled to take the hill for West Michigan against LHP Elvis Araujo (2-6, 4.67) of Lake County. The Whitecaps' next home game will take place on Wednesday, July 4, at 7:00 p.m. with a visit from the ZOOperstars and Independence Day 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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Midwest League Stories from June 27, 2012


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