MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Whitecaps Out-Duel Cougars In 2-1 Thriller

Published on July 27, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


GENEVA, IL - Jon Maciel and the West Michigan Whitecaps held on to win a thrilling 2-0 pitchers' duel on Sunday afternoon, clinching a series victory over the Kane County Cougars in a battle between the Midwest League's two first-place teams at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in suburban Chicago.

West Michigan (23-12, 64-41) scored their only runs on solo homers by Raph Rhymes and Jeff Holm, carrying a two-hit shutout into the bottom of the ninth before withstanding a last-gasp rally by Kane County (22-13, 67-38). The Whitecaps, who are 4-1 on their current road trip and 15-8 against the Western Division, will try to complete a series sweep on Monday in the final game of their interdivisional schedule.

Starting pitcher Jon Maciel (5-4) was masterful on Sunday, cruising through six scoreless innings of two-hit baseball with a pair of strikeouts and no walks. The 21-year-old right-hander retired 18 of the 20 batters he faced and threw 53 of his 82 pitches for strikes.

Each team managed just four hits, but two of the Whitecaps' knocks left the yard. Rhymes, who was 2-for-4 on the day, led off the top of the fourth by yanking his team-leading eighth home run of the year over the left field fence.

The 1-0 lead persisted until the top of the ninth, when Holm blasted a solo bomb to right-center with two outs. Playing just 10 minutes away from his home town of St. Charles, Illinois, the slugger's fifth home run of the year gave West Michigan a key insurance run and a 2-0 cushion.

Following Maciel's gem, Artie Lewicki (1) came out of the bullpen to pitch the last three innings for his first professional save. After working hitless frames in the seventh and eighth, the eighth-round pick out of Virginia came out for the ninth and gave up a leadoff single to Shawon Dunston, Jr. and a one-out double to Jeimer Candelario.

Suddenly, the Cougars had the potential game-tying run in scoring position with men at second and third and just one out. Jacob Rogers followed with a sacrifice fly that advanced both runners, scoring Dunston and moving Candelario to third.

But Lewicki buckled down and struck out Cael Brockmeyer looking on a breaking ball to end the game. Lewicki was charged with one run on two hits over three innings, striking out four and walking one.

Tyler Skulina (4-7) suffered the tough-luck loss for the Cougars. The big righty pitched a gem, allowing just one run on three hits over seven innings. He struck out seven and walked just one, navigating through his seven frames on 78 pitches.

The Whitecaps wrap up their six-game road trip with the finale of a three-game series against the Kane County Cougars on Monday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. ET. LHP Kevin Ziomek (8-6, 2.32) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Daury Torrez (9-5, 2.93) of Kane County. The next home game at Fifth Third Ballpark will be Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. featuring 10-cent hot dogs, entertainment from the ZOOperstars and the Van Andel Institute's Purple Night. 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 July 27, 2014


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