‘Caps Win Streak Snapped in 4-2 Defeat
COMSTOCK PARK, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps saw their seven-game winning streak come to an end as part of a 4-2 loss to the Lake County Captains Tuesday night at LMCU Ballpark. Despite allowing three solo home runs, Whitecaps pitchers held Lake County to just one hit after the
COMSTOCK PARK, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps saw their seven-game winning streak come to an end as part of a 4-2 loss to the Lake County Captains Tuesday night at LMCU Ballpark.
Despite allowing three solo home runs, Whitecaps pitchers held Lake County to just one hit after the fifth inning and limited the Captains to 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Even so, the ‘Caps couldn’t mount a comeback, finishing with just four hits while striking out 15 times in the loss.
The Captains grabbed the lead in the fourth inning when catcher Bennett Thompson and infielder Luke Hill blasted back-to-back home runs for a 2-0 advantage. They added two more runs in the fifth as infielder Dean Curley plated Jaison Chourio with a sacrifice fly before outfielder Aaron Walton launched another homer to extend the lead to 4-0. West Michigan threatened in the bottom of the fifth, putting runners on second and third with nobody out, but managed just one run as Patrick Lee lined an RBI single into center field to make it 4-1. Ricardo Hurtado followed with a run-scoring single in the sixth, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Whitecaps relievers Ryan Harven and Ethan Sloan combined for three scoreless innings to keep the game within reach, but the offense couldn’t capitalize. West Michigan brought the potential tying run to the plate in the ninth before Captains closer Izaak Martinez recorded a game-ending strikeout.
With the loss, the Whitecaps fall to 10-6, while Lake County improves to 8-8. Captains reliever Melkis Hernández (2-1) earned his second win, allowing two runs over four innings with eight strikeouts. Whitecaps reliever Carlos Marcano (0-1) took the loss after giving up two runs in two innings. Martinez finished with a scoreless ninth, notching his second save of the year. Despite the defeat, the Whitecaps remain alone in first place in the Midwest League Eastern Division, holding a one-game lead over the Great Lakes Loons. The game also served as the Midwest League debut for Detroit Tigers No. 3 Prospect Bryce Rainer, who finished 0-for-4 in his first game with the club.
UP NEXT
The ‘Caps continue this six-game series against the Lake County Captains with a Wednesday matinee beginning at 12:05pm. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Nate Wangler begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 11:50 am on 106.1 FM ‘The Ticket’, and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids, or listen to all the action on whitecapsbaseball.com.