Whitecaps Go Nuts in 9-3 Win
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps continued their hot streak at the plate, using extra-base power and solid pitching to silence the Lansing Lugnuts in a 9-3 victory on Wednesday night at LMCU Ballpark. The Whitecaps offense, who currently leads the Midwest League in extra-base hits and slugging
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps continued their hot streak at the plate, using extra-base power and solid pitching to silence the Lansing Lugnuts in a 9-3 victory on Wednesday night at LMCU Ballpark.
The Whitecaps offense, who currently leads the Midwest League in extra-base hits and slugging percentage, collected five doubles, including four in-a-row, plus a two-run home run by Justice Bigbie. Meanwhile, 'Caps relievers Aaron Haase, Gabe Sequeira, and Erick Pinales combined for five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts in the victory.
Lansing grabbed the early advantage in the second inning as Alexander Campos, Junior Perez, and Jonny Butler roped RBI singles to take the 3-0 lead. Whitecaps outfielder Roberto Campos scored Dillon Paulson on a single in the bottom half before West Michigan exploded for five runs in the third as Paulson, Josh Crouch, Carlos Mendoza, and Campos delivered RBI-Doubles to take a three-run lead of their own at 6-3. The Whitecaps added two insurance tallies in the sixth and eighth as Bigbie blasted an opposite-field two-run homer before a Danny Serretti sacrifice fly concluded the scoring. The Lugnuts advanced only one runner into scoring position through the final five frames as the 'Caps bullpen slammed the door, earning the 9-3 win.
The Whitecaps record improves to 18-11, remaining a game back of the first-place Great Lakes Loons, while the Lugnuts fall to 13-15. Lansing reliever Christian Fernandez (1-2) allowed seven runs through 5.1 innings in suffering his first loss, as Haase (1-1) tossed two shutout innings with three punchouts in his first careet win as a Whitecap. The Whitecaps currently lead the Midwest League in numerous offensive statistical categories, compiling 23 runs while going 30-72 with nine doubles, two triples, and a pair of home runs through the first two games of this series.
UP NEXT
This series between the Whitecaps and Lansing Lugnuts continues Thursday at 6:05 pm. Righty Wilkel Hernandez takes the mound for West Michigan against Mitch Myers for Lansing. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Russ Eisenstein begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 5:50 pm. Get your tickets for all 2023 home games now at www.whitecapsbaseball.com.