Whitecaps Fade Late in 9-6 Loss
May 8, 2019 - Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps rallied from an early deficit but could not hold a late lead in a 9-6 loss to the Peoria Chiefs Tuesday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.
Both the Chiefs and the Whitecaps used four-run innings in the ballgame as part of their comebacks, with Peoria using their big inning in the eighth to take the lead and the victory.
Peoria managed to touch up "Caps starter Gio Arriera with three runs in the first two innings due in part to two sacrifice flies from Brady Whalen. The Whitecaps also scored early as a Sam McMillan single brought home Parker Meadows in the second. The 3-1 Peoria advantage lasted until the fourth inning as Nick Ames highlighted the "Caps four-run surge with a two-run single and gave the Whitecaps their first lead at 5-3. Meadows extended the "Caps lead to 6-3 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. The Chiefs managed a pair of sixth-inning runs to close the "Caps lead to 6-5 but broke the game open with their big eighth. A two-run single by Lars Nootbaar off "Caps reliever Angel Reyes paced the four-run frame and helped Peoria re-take the lead at 9-6. West Michigan put runners on base over the last two frames but could not push across any more runs as Peoria took the win and evened the three-game series at one victory each.
Whitecaps reliever Sandel De La Cruz (0-2) absorbed the loss, pitching 2.1 innings in relief allowing two earned runs, two hits, three walks, and four strikeouts. Arriera went five innings for West Michigan, giving up six hits and five earned runs while striking out six. Mike Brettell (1-0) pitched 3.2 innings of relief for Peoria, allowing one earned run on two hits in his first win of the year. Thomas St. Clair tossed two innings with no hits on two strikeouts to record the save for Peoria. The Whitecaps fall to 14-16, coming up short in their bid to reach the .500 mark for the first time since April 13th. The Chiefs improve to 14-15 on the campaign and have won eight of their last ten games. Nick Ames, Whitecaps first baseman and the Tigers 15th round draft pick in 2018, extended his hitting streak to ten games, one short of Johnny Valente's season-high eleven game streak. The Chiefs outhit the Whitecaps eleven to seven, with light-hitting Edwin Figuera, who came into the game hitting .081 (3-for-37 in 2019), providing the production with three singles and three RBI. Ulrich Bojarski continued his hot hitting with a three-hit night, including a double, the "Caps lone extra-base hit of the night, and has collected eight hits in his last three games.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps wrap up this three-game series against the Peoria Chiefs with a Wednesday morning contest beginning at 11:00 am. Southpaw Kacey Murphy starts for the "Caps against Chiefs pitcher and fellow lefty Diego Cordero. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Mike Coleman begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 10:50 am. Tickets are available for any Whitecaps 2019 home contest by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or by visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.
Midwest League Stories from May 8, 2019
- Groshans Returns with Two Hits in Lugnuts Loss - Lansing Lugnuts
- River Bandits Head into Extended Break with Ninth Consecutive Win - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Early Lead Erased by 7-run Fifth - Clinton LumberKings
- 7-Run 5th Inning Keys Dragons 9-5 Victory & Series Win - Dayton Dragons
- Wednesday's Captains at Snappers Game Cancelled - Lake County Captains
- Snappers vs. Captains Series Finale Cancelled - Beloit Sky Carp
- Great Lakes, Quad Cities Series Cancelled - Great Lakes Loons
- Grand Opening of Brews on Third Delayed to May 30 - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Late Runs Doom 'Caps Again - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Fort Wayne at Wisconsin Cancelled by Rain - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Rain Cancels Final Game of Rattlers Series with Fort Wayne - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Lugnuts Activate Top Prospect Groshans from IL - Lansing Lugnuts
- Loons Bounce Back with Series Win - Great Lakes Loons
- Great Lakes at Quad Cities Series Cancelled - MWL1
- Cougars Lose Rubber Game with Loons - Kane County Cougars
- 9th Inning Error Leads to Cubs Walk-Off Win over Kernels - South Bend Cubs
- Hot Rods Take Series with 5-3 Win - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- South Bend Walks off in Rubber Game - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Three-Run Eighth Leads Chiefs to Series Win - Peoria Chiefs
- Dragons Notes for Wednesday - Dayton Dragons
- TinCaps Add Two Peanut-Free Nights to Schedule - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Hot Rods Game Notes - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Bees Fall Short in Comeback, Lose 4-3 to Bowling Green - Burlington Bees
- Whitecaps Fade Late in 9-6 Loss - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Caratini Delivers, But Cubs Fall to Kernels 8-5 - South Bend Cubs
- Three-Run Eighth Breaks Tie in 4-3 Win - Bowling Green Hot Rods
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
