MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

WHITECAPS CLOSE OUT 6-3 ROAD TRIP WITH LOSS

Published on June 17, 2011 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


BOWLING GREEN, KY - The West Michigan Whitecaps ended their longest road trip of the season with a 5-2 loss to the Bowling Green Hot Rods on Thursday night at Bowling Green Ballpark.

West Michigan (30-36) still finished the trip with a successful 6-3 record and will head home to close out the first half with a three-game series against Lake County starting Friday at Fifth Third Ballpark. Bowling Green (39-28) extended their winning streak to eight games after completing the three-game sweep on Thursday night, a surge that has propelled them into first place in the Midwest League's Eastern Division.

The Whitecaps had their chances, collecting 11 hits but stranding nine runners and scratching across just two runs.

West Michigan took their first lead of the series with a run in the top of the first. Luis Castillo led off the ballgame with a double for the second straight night, advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Jeff Rowland. On the very next pitch, Rob Brantly laced a single to right and West Michigan took a 1-0 lead.

The 'Caps added another run in the fourth inning. Dixon Machado was at first with two outs and Castillo at the plate. Machado was off on a hit-and-run when Castillo lined a single to center. When center fielder Kevin Kiermaier overran the baseball, Machado kept flying all the way home for a 2-0 advantage.

In the bottom of the fourth, however, the lead was erased with one swing of the bat. The bases were loaded with two outs when Nick Schwaner drove the first pitch he saw into right-center field. When the ball bounced past a diving Steven Moya, all three runners scored and Schwaner ended up at third with a triple. Suddenly, the Hot Rods had snatched a 3-2 lead.

Bowling Green added two more runs with a sixth inning rally. Julio Cedeno and Robby Price opened the inning with back-to-back doubles, with Price's liner to right plating Cedeno and chasing Whitecaps' starter Josue Carreno from the ballgame. Later in the frame, Patrick Cooper was on the mound when Kiermaier poked a two-out pitch down the third base line to score Price for a 5-2 advantage.

The Hot Rods' bullpen made the lead stand up. Jimmy Patterson and Austin Hubbard combined for four shutout innings of relief, allowing just two combined hits while fanning six and walking none. After Patterson cruised through 2.2 solid frames, Hubbard dealt the final 1.1 innings without allowing a baserunner to earn the save.

That wrapped up the win for George Jensen (6-2), who surrendered nine hits but just two runs - one earned - over five innings.

Carreno (4-7) suffered the loss, ending a three-game winning streak for the 19-year-old right-hander. Carreno was charged with five runs on 10 hits over five innings of work.

The Whitecaps return to Fifth Third Ballpark to close out the first half with a three-game series against the Lake County Captains that starts on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. RHP Kevin Eichhorn (4-3, 3.98) is slated to take the hill for West Michigan against RHP Cole Cook (2-7, 5.31) for Lake County in the opener of the three-game series. Jason Thompson will be on hand as part of the Tiger Friday series while the first 1,000 fans will take home retro Tigers' t-shirts. Group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

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Midwest League Stories from June 17, 2011


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