‘Caps Fall on First Inning Grammy
COMSTOCK PARK, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps got a huge lift from their bullpen, but the bats fell silent in a 5-2 loss to the Lansing Lugnuts Thursday night at LMCU Ballpark. 'Caps relievers Sandel De La Cruz and Michael Bienlien combined for seven innings out of the pen,
COMSTOCK PARK, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps got a huge lift from their bullpen, but the bats fell silent in a 5-2 loss to the Lansing Lugnuts Thursday night at LMCU Ballpark.
'Caps relievers Sandel De La Cruz and Michael Bienlien combined for seven innings out of the pen, allowing one run on two hits and striking out nine Lugnuts hitters.
However, West Michigan only managed to advance two runners into scoring position the entire night, finishing 1-for-2 in the defeat.
Lansing opened the first inning with six-straight singles as Austin Beck blasted a grand slam to forge the Lugnuts out in front 4-0. The Whitecaps responded in the sixth inning as Gage Workman laced a two-run double, slimming the Lansing advantage to 4-2. The 'Caps reached base only once the rest of the night as Beck added his fifth RBI in the eighth, plating Michael Guldberg and slamming the door on a 5-2 Lansing victory.
Lugnuts starting pitcher Jack Cushing (4-0) allowed two runs through six innings of work while striking out eight in his fourth victory of the year. Dalton Sawyer picked up his second save on the season, striking out two hitters to close the ninth. West Michigan starting pitcher Keider Montero (4-7) lasted only two innings, allowing four runs on six hits in his seventh loss this year. Eric De La Rosa finished 2-for-3, putting him one base hit shy of tying the longest hitting streak for any Whitecaps player this season.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps play the fourth game of this six-game series against Lansing Lugnuts from LMCU Ballpark Friday at 7:05 pm. West Michigan sends righty Garrett Hill to the mound against Lugnuts pitcher Reid Burlingmair. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty starts on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:50 pm. Get your tickets for all 2021 home games now at www.whitecapsbaseball.com.