MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Whitecaps Power Way to Victory

Published on April 10, 2018 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, MI - A game-tying home run by Colby Bortles and a game-clinching grand slam by Jordan Pearce completed another comeback win for the West Michigan Whitecaps, as they defeated the Great Lakes Loons 10-4 Tuesday afternoon at Fifth Third Ballpark.

For the second straight game, West Michigan struggled to find early offense, managing only one base hit through the first three innings off Loons starter Max Gamboa. Jesus Rodriguez, making his debut on the mound for West Michigan, labored in his first inning relinquishing three singles and a walk leading to an early 2-0 deficit. The "Caps chipped away to tie the game at 2-2 with solo runs in the second and fourth innings, courtesy of an Ignacio Valdez groundout and sacrifice fly from Pearce to score Garrett McCain. The Loons answered with solo runs in both the fifth and sixth innings off "Caps reliever Brandyn Sittinger, but the Caps responded as Brady Policelli tripled and scored on an Alexis Garcia groundout in the fifth.

In the sixth, the Colby Bortles home run, along with RBI singles by Jose Quero and Policelli paced a three-run inning, and a 6-4 "Caps lead. In the seventh, Jordan Pearce slammed the door shut by clearing the bases with a grand slam home run-the first by a Whitecaps since Josh Lester performed the feat against Dayton in May of last year. The four-run inning finished off the scoring for the day, as the 10-4 win marked the third straight for the Whitecaps, who improved to 4-1 in 2018. Great Lakes came into the series with a modest two-game win streak but fell to 2-4 overall.

Max Green came on in relief for West Michigan in the seventh inning and bounced back from a rough outing in his last appearance. Green dazzled Great Lakes with an effective off-speed pitch and ended up allowing only two singles and recording four strikeouts in three solid innings or work. Sittinger (1-0) picked up the win for West Michigan, while Zach Pop (0-2) suffered the loss. Cole Peterson extended his hitting streak to five games with two singles, Policelli banged out two base hits, and Bortles extended his hitting streak to four games with a 3-for-3 performance as part of a twelve-hit afternoon for West Michigan. Pearce also ruled the RBI department with five on the afternoon as six different Whitecaps batters recorded an RBI.

UP NEXT

The Whitecaps continue this four-game series against the Great Lakes Loons Wednesday night at 6:35 p.m. Right-hander Brad Bass gets the start for West Michigan. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Mike Coleman begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:25 p.m. Tickets are available for any Whitecaps 2018 home contest by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or by visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.

Check out the West Michigan Whitecaps Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from April 10, 2018


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