Camels Wallop Whitecaps with Big Inning

MIDLAND, MI – In a Wednesday Camels takeover, Great Lakes (41-33) evened a six-game series against the West Michigan Whitecaps (34-39) with a 16-9 victory at Dow Diamond. The Camels scored 11 runs on 10 hits in the second inning alone, finishing with a season-high 21 hits, and led 15-1 into the fourth. Seven of the nine Great Lakes starters recorded a multi-hit night, with Justin Yurchak finishing 4-for-5 with four runs batted in, falling a triple shy of the cycle.

The Camels pitching staff finished with 15 strikeouts in nine innings recorded. Starter Clayton Beeter and relievers Jose Martinez and Kevin Malisheski all finished with a season-best five strikeouts. Beeter retired five in a row on strikes to end his night, handing the ball over to Martinez to motor through 5 1/3 innings. Despite finishing the night with five earned runs on nine hits, Martinez entered his final inning with one earned run on five hits, no walks and five punch-outs. Malisheski, who had three strikeouts in four prior July outings, added five to his total in the Wednesday win.

Great Lakes forced Whitecaps starter Keider Montero (L, 4-8) off the mound in the second inning, finishing with four earned runs on five hits in a season-low one inning recorded. Sandel De La Cruz relieved Montero, producing two outs before allowing six runs on four hits. Xavier Javier allowed five runs on eight hits and a walk, recording only four outs on 49 pitches thrown. Zac Shepherd cooled the Camels bats down in the next four innings, allowing only one run on three hits. Bryce Tassin entered to complete the eighth as the fifth pitcher used by West Michigan, their tenth in the last two nights.

Offensively, the Camels finished Wednesday 12-for-20 with runners in scoring position. Yurchak’s 4-for-5 night tied the season-high for most individual hits by a Loons member in a night, falling a hit shy of tying the franchise record of five, set by Oneil Cruz in 2017. Yurchak had yet to be retired in his first four trips to the plate, singling twice along with a double and a big blast.

Three different Great Lakes sluggers finished with three-hit nights in Andy Pages, Ryan Ward and Deacon Liput. Atop the lineup card, Pages ended 3-for-4, scoring twice and driving in a run with a double. Ward covered a lot of ground Wednesday night as he played three different positions and finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored. All three hits for Liput, who also walked, were singles, scoring on three of his four trips on-base. Beneath Ward and Liput, Carson Taylor, Leonel Valera and Zac Ching all finished with two-hit nights, combining for six runs batted in.

West Michigan and Great Lakes finished with 33 combined hits, falling three shy of tying the franchise record of 36 combined hits, a record set in 2012 by Great Lakes and Burlington. 21 hits for Great Lakes tied the West Michigan record for hits allowed, a mark previously untouched in 25 years, set by the 1996 Lansing Lugnuts.

Right-hander Cole Percival is scheduled to make his first start of the season Thursday night at Dow Diamond. In 15 previous appearances, Percival has 35 strikeouts and 27 walks in 42 1/3 innings, averaging 3.19 earned runs.

Fellow righty Garrett Hill is expected to pitch for West Michigan in Thursday’s break-even contest, bringing a 2.51 ERA in 28 2/3 innings. Hill has 41 strikeouts this season, allowing only 9 walks. Gates open at 6:00 P.M. EDT with a first pitch time scheduled for 7:05 P.M. at Dow Diamond, coverage beginning on ESPN 100.9 FM at 6:35 P.M.

Following the West Michigan series, the San Diego Padres’ High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps invade Dow Diamond for the first time this series, beginning August 3. The Loons took four games of six against Fort Wayne from June 29-July 4.

The Great Lakes Loons have been the Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since the team’s inception in 2007. Dow Diamond serves as the team’s home and also houses the Michigan Baseball Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, and ESPN 100.9-FM. For tickets or information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.