Whitecaps Swept In Lansing, Playoff Race Continues
September 3, 2010 - Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
LANSING, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps headed into a three-game series with the Lansing Lugnuts needing just one victory to clinch a playoff berth. After an 8-6 loss on Friday night completed a series sweep at Cooley Law School Stadium, the Whitecaps are still waiting to punch their ticket to the post-season.
West Michigan (34-33, 60-76) had their lead trimmed to two games over Lansing (32-35, 68-68) in the race for the Eastern Division's final playoff spot. The Whitecaps will head to Fort Wayne for a three-game set to close out the regular season starting Saturday, while the Lugnuts will try to keep their playoff hopes alive during a trip to Lake County.
Friday's game was played through consistent rainfall, whipping winds, and unseasonable 50-degree temperatures. The sloppy weather contributed to a sloppy game that saw the âCaps draw 10 walks but strand 11 runners on base.
Lansing's K.C. Hobson tripled and scored in the bottom of the second for a 1-0 lead, but West Michigan responded with five unanswered runs to jump out in front.
After Rob Brantly tied the game with his first professional home run in the top of the third, the Whitecaps rallied for a four-spot to break the deadlock in the fifth. After two singles and a free pass loaded the bases with one out, Corey Jones and Wade Gaynor drew consecutive walks to force in runs. Following a pitching change, Tony Plagman smacked a sacrifice fly and Corey Jones crossed the plate on a passed ball as West Michigan asserted a 5-1 advantage.
Over the next two innings, however, Lansing rallied for seven unanswered runs.
Brad McElroy drilled an RBI-single off the wall in right in the bottom of the fifth and later scored when Hobson blasted a towering fly ball off the top of the right field wall. After a pitching change, Randy Schwartz tacked on a sacrifice fly to pull the Lugnuts to within 5-4.
There was one out in the sixth when Whitecaps' reliever Zach Samuels walked two men and hit another to load the bases. The next four men all drove in runs, starting with an infield single by Brad Glenn and continuing with a sacrifice fly from Hobson. Schwartz delivered the go-ahead single that chased Samuels from the game, while Jake Marisnick capped the rally with a double past the bag at first for an 8-5 advantage.
West Michigan disputed the double and argued that it should have been a foul ball, leading to the ejection of manager Joe DePastino.
The âCaps mounted one last rally in the top of the eighth. Brantly led off with a single, but it was three consecutive two-out walks that forced in a run and cut the deficit to 8-6. With the bases loaded, however, Gaynor struck out swinging to end the threat.
Three relievers figured into the decision, as Matt Wright (5-2) earned the win for Lansing with 2.2 innings of shutout baseball and Casey Beck (5) picked up the save with 1.1 scoreless frames.
Samuels (3-1) suffered his first loss of the year after being charged with four runs on three hits and two walks over 1.1 innings of work.
The Whitecaps close out the 2010 regular season with a three-game road series against the Fort Wayne TinCaps that starts at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, September 4. RHP Trevor Feeney (11-13, 3.41) is scheduled to take the mound for West Michigan against LHP Jose De Paula (8-4, 2.80) of the TinCaps. Although the home portion of the 2010 regular season is complete, the Whitecaps are fighting for a playoff berth and will have a 7:00 p.m. home game at Fifth Third Ballpark on Wednesday, September 8, if they qualify for the post-season.
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