MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Whitecaps Return Home With A Bang

May 28, 2014 - Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps were undeterred in their return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Wednesday, shrugging off a rough road trip and a long overnight bus trip to beat the Dayton Dragons, 8-1, in the opener of a key three-game series.

Despite pulling into town at 8:30 a.m. after losing four of six games on their recent road trip, West Michigan (29-24) scored eight unanswered runs in their final three at-bats on Wednesday to move one game ahead of Dayton (27-24) in the race for the final playoff spot in the Midwest League's Eastern Division. There are 17 games remaining in the first half of the season.

The Whitecaps pounded out 11 hits, including two-hit games from Austin Schotts and Jeff Holm in their return to the West Michigan lineup. Both players flew into town earlier in the day, with Schotts being activated from the disabled list and Holm transferred back to the Midwest League from high Class-A Lakeland.

The 'Caps mustered just one hit through the first five innings and trailed 1-0 before finally breaking through in the bottom of the sixth.

The rally started when Schotts - who had already hit into two hard-hit outs - lined a two-out triple past a diving right fielder. He scored the game-tying run moments later on an infield chopper to third by Javier Betancourt.

The West Michigan offense busted loose in the seventh. With runners at first and second and nobody out, Wynton Bernard was unable to lay down a sacrifice bunt. But, with a two-strike count, he fouled off a series of pitches before bouncing a single through the middle to score Dominic Ficociello for the go-ahead run.

Later in the inning, Francisco Contreras fisted broken-bat single with the bases loaded to plate two more runs. Schotts added a run-scoring liner to left-center and the Whitecaps were off and running with a 5-1 advantage.

Willy Adames put on the finishing touches in the eighth, blasted a two-run triple off the base of the left field wall and scoring on another hit by Contreras to reach the 8-1 final.

Joe Mantiply (3-1) earned the win with two scoreless innings out of the Whitecaps' bullpen. He took over for starter Chad Green in the seventh after Green fired off six strong innings of one-run baseball. Green struck out six while scattering six hits and walking two.

In addition to the offense and pitching, the West Michigan defense played errorless baseball and made a number of standout plays. Bernard made a great running catch in the right-center field gap in the third inning and then picked up a run-saving outfield assist in the fifth. Adames also made his presence felt at shortstop, diving to catch a liner in the sixth inning and then snatching another line drive in the seventh to start a double play.

Sal Romano (3-4) took the loss. Despite carrying a one-hit shutout into the sixth inning, the right-hander's final line included four runs on six hits in six innings of work.

The Whitecaps continue a brief three-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark on Thursday night at 6:35 p.m. against the Dayton Dragons. RHP Jonathon Crawford (2-1, 2.16) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against LHP Ismael Giullon (3-0, 2.91) of Dayton. In addition to $2 food and beverage specials on an Altogas Thrifty Thursday, there will also be a pre-game t-shirt giveaway and a post-game concert as part of Social Media Night. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps' front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.

Check out the West Michigan Whitecaps Statistics



Midwest League Stories from May 28, 2014


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