Whitecaps Fall, 6-5
LANSING, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps took a five-run lead but could not hold it as part of a 6-5 loss to the Lansing Lugnuts in front of 6,440 fans on Thursday night at Jackson Field. The defeat gives West Michigan losses in 14 of their last 16 games
LANSING, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps took a five-run lead but could not hold it as part of a 6-5 loss to the Lansing Lugnuts in front of 6,440 fans on Thursday night at Jackson Field.
The defeat gives West Michigan losses in 14 of their last 16 games since beginning the 2022 season with a 6-2 record through the first eight contests.
The ‘Caps built their five-run advantage with all their runs coming in the second inning. RBI-singles by Josh Crouch and Trei Cruz, along with a bases-loaded walk and Lugnuts throwing error, sent the Whitecaps to one of their biggest offensive frames of the season. The ‘Nuts answered right back with three in the bottom of the frame, highlighted by Brett Harris’ solo homer and a West Michigan fielding error to bring the score to 5-3. After scoring a run in the third, Austin Beck tied the game with a solo home run, his fourth of the season, to deadlock the contest at five.
The score remained the same until the eighth, when a high-chopped ground ball off the bat of Brayan Buelvas found its way over third baseman Trei Cruz, resulting in a double. Moments later, Euribiel Angeles’ go-ahead sacrifice fly gave Lansing a 6-5 lead and, ultimately, their third straight win of the series.
Lugnuts reliever Kumar Nambiar (1-0) tossed two scoreless innings to collect his first win, while Bryce Tassin (1-1) suffered a tough-luck loss out of the ‘Caps bullpen. Angelio Infante pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his fifth save of the season. The Whitecaps fall to 8-16, while the Lugnuts improve to 10-14. Cruz reached base three times in a losing cause.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps play the fourth contest of this six-game series against the Lansing Lugnuts Friday night from Jackson Field at 7:05 pm. Pitcher Keider Montero gets the start for West Michigan against the Lugnuts Stevie Emanuels. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty starts on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:50 pm. Get your tickets for all 2022 home games now at www.whitecapsbaseball.com.