Pankake, 'Caps rally to even MWL Finals

After 15 straight scoreless innings in the Midwest League Finals, West Michigan Whitecaps hitting coach Phil Clark gathered the team in the dugout during the seventh-inning stretch. He told the players to stop trying to do too much. They'd been swinging at pitches out of the zone that they normally wouldn't chase. They just needed to string some good at-bats together.

The Tigers' Class A affiliate got the message, coming alive in a wild four-run seventh on Thursday en route to a 4-1 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels that evened the best-of-5 Championship Series at a game apiece.

Kernels right-hander Sam Gibbons walked Kade Scivicque to start the seventh. Detroit's No. 10 prospect Christin Stewart followed with a double to center field and Joey Pankake smacked a single to left that plated both of them. Controversially, Austin Diemer's throw beat Stewart, but he was ruled safe because catcher Brian Navarreto blocked the plate before he had the ball. Cedar Rapids manager Jake Mauer was ejected for arguing the call.

"I was looking for something up in the zone that I could get to the outfield just to get one run in," Pankake said. "I got a curveball a little up and ended up rapping one down the line for a hit and got two.

"I think [Stewart] would have been in there easy. I'm still not sure what happened. I think the catcher was blocking the plate without the ball."

The 2014 seventh-round pick is hitting .296 with a homer and seven RBIs in seven games this postseason.

"I started getting more hits in the second half of the season, and I've tried to carry that approach into the playoffs," Pankake said.

Gibbons made a throwing error fielding Will Kengor's bunt that advanced Pankake to third and reliever Yorman Landa walked Francisco Contreras to load the bases. David Gonzalez followed with a chopper that shortstop Nick Gordon bobbled, allowing Pankake to score. After striking out Ross Kivett, Landa hit A.J. Simcox to push across another run.

On the other side, A.J. Ladwig allowed one run on six hits over seven innings. Johan Belisario hit Gordon to lead off the eighth, but covered first on an ensuing double play that erased him. Joe Jimenez, Detroit's No. 14 prospect, struck out two in a perfect ninth.

"A.J. has been phenomenal all year," Pankake said. "And usually when we have the lead and turn it over to our bullpen, good things happen."

Cedar Rapids got on the board in the second inning when Chris Paul doubled to left field and Max Murphy followed with a triple to center.

Game 3 will take place Saturday at Cedar Rapids.