Whitecaps Settle for Split in Wisconsin
APPLETON, WI – The West Michigan Whitecaps took an early lead but were unable to hold on as part of a 7-3 loss to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Sunday at Neuroscience Group Field. The loss sends West Michigan back to Comstock Park with a 6-6 record during their 12-game
APPLETON, WI – The West Michigan Whitecaps took an early lead but were unable to hold on as part of a 7-3 loss to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Sunday at Neuroscience Group Field.
The loss sends West Michigan back to Comstock Park with a 6-6 record during their 12-game road trip – their longest road stretch of the season. The Whitecaps sit as the only team in Minor or Major League Baseball to still hold an undefeated home record and return home for a six-game series against the Lansing Lugnuts beginning Tuesday night at LMCU Ballpark.
Unlike the Whitecaps 1-0 Saturday victory, West Michigan opened the offense early on Sunday when Andrew Jenkins highlighted a two-run second inning with an RBI-Triple to help the ‘Caps jump ahead with a 2-0 lead. After an RBI single by Jack Penney in the fourth, Wisconsin battled back with three in the bottom of the frame in an inning that featured a two-run single from Tayden Hall to even the score. In the sixth, the T-Rats jumped out to a lead with four more runs when Hedbert Perez walked with the bases loaded to give the Timber Rattlers the lead, and Matthew Wood collected a run-scoring single later in the frame, giving Wisconsin seven unanswered runs and a commanding 7-3 lead.
The Whitecaps record drops to 17-10, while Wisconsin falls to 10-16. Timber Rattlers pitcher Yerlin Rodriguez (2-2) picks up his second win of the season, while ‘Caps pitcher Max Alba allowed four runs in just 1.2 innings in taking his second loss. The bottom of the Wisconsin lineup was the difference on Sunday, as the final three T-Rats hitters, Luiyin Alastre, Tayden Hall, and Daniel Guilarte, went a combined 6-for-10 with two walks, three RBI, and four runs scored. Penney led the ‘Caps with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate and a pair of RBIs in a losing cause.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps return home to LMCU Ballpark as the last team in Minor League Baseball with an undefeated home record at 9-0 and are set to take on their arch-rival in the Lansing Lugnuts for a six-game series beginning Tuesday at 6:35 pm. Lefty Andrew Sears is expected to get the start on the mound for West Michigan against the Lugnuts Kyle Robertson. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Nate Wangler starts on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:20 pm on 106.1 FM ‘The Ticket’ and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids to catch all the action or listen to the game live at whitecapsbaseball.com.