MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Whitecaps Whittle Magic Number To Six

Published on August 28, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps continued their improbable charge towards a post-season berth with a 10-5 victory over the Great Lakes Loons on Saturday night at Fifth Third Ballpark, reducing their magic number to six with nine games to play in the 2010 regular season.

West Michigan (32-29, 58-72) won their third straight game and improved to 23-8 since July 28, increasing their lead to four games over the scuffling Lansing Lugnuts in the race for the Eastern Division's final playoff spot. Despite boasting the best record in all of full-season affiliated baseball, Great Lakes (41-20, 84-46) was charged with six walks, four wild pitches, three errors and a hit batsman in the loss.

Corey Jones put the Whitecaps on the board with an RBI-double in the opening frame, but it was a five-run explosion in the bottom of the fourth that gave West Michigan a wider cushion.

The rally started with singles by Wade Gaynor and Tony Plagman. Michael Rockett then laid down a sacrifice bunt to the left side, but the throw to first from third baseman Brian Ruggiano sailed away as Gaynor scored and the runners advanced to second and third. Consecutive walks to Rob Brantly and Clay Jones loaded the bases and forced in a run, while Jimmy Gulliver contributed a run-scoring groundout and Jamie Johnson added an RBI-single. Jeff Rowland capped the rally with a sacrifice fly to left that led to a 6-0 advantage.

The Loons rallied their way back into the game and pulled to within one run. Chris Jacobs clubbed an opposite-field two-run homer in the fifth, while a bases-loaded double by Nick Buss sparked a three-run seventh inning as Great Lakes trimmed the ‘Caps lead to 6-5.

In the bottom of the seventh, however, the Whitecaps took advantage of a series of unforced errors to plate two key insurance runs without putting the ball in play.

With Loons reliever Nick Gaudi on the mound, a leadoff hit batsman was followed by two wild pitches and a walk to leave Gaynor at first base and Corey Jones at third. Gaynor was running on a one-out pitch that skipped past the catcher low and away, allowing Jones to score as Gaynor rounded second and raced for third. The throw from catcher Gorman Erickson flew past the third baseman into left field, enabling Gaynor to dart home for the second run of the play. Thanks to a hit batsman, a walk, three wild pitches and an error, the Whitecaps had seized an 8-5 lead.

West Michigan added two more in the eighth as Johnson doubled home a run and scored on a fielder's choice groundout for a 10-5 advantage.

Luis Angel Sanz (4-6) earned the victory with a solid outing, although he was charged with five runs on six hits over 6.2 innings of work. Pitching into the seventh inning, three of the runs charged to Sanz came around to score after he was removed with two outs and the bases loaded.

Jordan Pratt (4) tossed 2.1 scoreless innings for the save. After allowing the three inherited runners to score in the seventh, he retired six of the seven men he faced over the final two innings.

The loss went to Great Lakes starter Allen Webster (11-9), who allowed six runs - four earned - on six hits over six frames.

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Midwest League Stories from August 28, 2010


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