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KRIZAN GOES 4-FOR-4, 'CAPS TAKE SERIES
07/03/2012 11:00 PM ET
MIDLAND, MI - Jason Krizan went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles as the West Michigan Whitecaps pounded out 13 hits to beat the Great Lakes Loons, 8-5, in the rubber match of a three-game series on Tuesday night at Dow Diamond.

West Michigan (7-5, 43-39) beat Great Lakes (5-7, 39-43) for the seventh time in their last nine meetings while clinching a series win for the eighth time in their last 10 tries.

The 'Caps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Wednesday night to kick off a six-game homestand with a visit from the ZOOperstars and a patriotic fireworks show on the Fourth of July.

On Tuesday night, The offense jumped all over Loons' starter Ralston Cash.

Eugenio Suarez doubled and scored a run in the top of the first to give the Whitecaps a lead they never relinquished. Luis Castillo drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second inning while Aaron Westlake and Krizan each smacked run-scoring doubles in the third for a 4-1 advantage.

Kyle Ryan (5-3) earned the win with another solid start, limiting Great Lakes to two runs on four hits over six innings. In the process, he became the first Midwest League pitcher to throw more than 100 innings this season and increased his league-leading total to 103.2 innings.

Two of the four hits against him came on solo homers by O'Koyea Dickson and Angelo Songco that cut West Michigan's lead to 4-2, but Ryan stranded runners at the corners in the sixth to hold the lead.

Moments later, the 'Caps blew the game open.

After Castillo led off the seventh with a single, Chad Wright drilled a two-run homer to right for some breathing room. Westlake added another run-scoring double later in the frame for a 7-2 advantage, giving the Whitecaps more than enough offense to hold on for the victory.

In addition to Krizan's big day, Westlake and Wright each collected two hits and two RBI and eight of the nine Whitecaps' position players registered hits.

Cash (1-4) suffered the loss for Great Lakes, allowing four runs - three earned - on six hits over three innings of work.

The Whitecaps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Wednesday for a Fourth of July celebration featuring a 7:00 p.m. first pitch against the Lake County Captains. RHP Tommy Collier (6-5, 2.29) is scheduled to take the hill for West Michigan against RHP Joe Colon (6-8, 3.17) of Lake County on a night featuring a visit from the ZOOperstars and Independence Day fireworks. Group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
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