EASTLAKE, OH - The West Michigan Whitecaps were unable to hold a three-run lead, and a late two-run homer by Emmanuel Tapia was the difference as part of a 4-3 loss to the Lake County Captains at Classic Park.The loss marks the second straight defeat for West Michigan, and the
EASTLAKE, OH - The West Michigan Whitecaps were unable to hold a three-run lead, and a late two-run homer by Emmanuel Tapia was the difference as part of a 4-3 loss to the Lake County Captains at Classic Park.
The loss marks the second straight defeat for West Michigan, and the first time they've lost consecutive games since April 18-20 when they dropped three straight.
The Whitecaps only needed an inning and a half to build up a 3-0 lead. Blaise Salter's run-scoring double scored Jake Robson in the opening frame to take a 1-0 advantage. The hit extended Salter's Midwest League lead in doubles (17) and RBI (31). An inning later, a Chad Sedio groundball to first took a high hop over the head of first baseman Emmanuel Tapia and into the right field corner to score Anthony Pereira and give Sedio an RBI-triple. Sedio's three-bagger gave the infielder his first hit as a Whitecap since joining the team last week. Danny Woodrow plated Sedio with a single to extend the lead to 3-0.
In the fourth, Whitecaps starter Anthony Castro uncorked a wild pitch to allow Lake County to score their first run, then gave up an RBI-single to Trenton Brooks in the seventh before departing after a career-high 6.2 innings on the hill. The right-handed native of Venezuela took a no-decision and allowed two runs on seven hits without walking a batter and striking out five. With the Whitecaps leading 3-2 in the eighth, reliever Locke St. John gave up a leadoff single to Logan Ice before Tapia blasted his eighth homer of the season to give the Captains a 4-3 lead - and ultimately the game-changing play in the process.
St. John (1-2) took a loss for the second time in his last three appearances due to allowing Tapia's homer. The left-hander has given up runs in five of his last six games. Captains pitcher Tanner Tully pitched the final four innings in the contest to earn his second win of the season. The Whitecaps fall to 26-14, while the Captains improve to 16-23. Woodrow led the Whitecaps offense with a pair of singles and an RBI.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps continue this four-game series with the Lake County Captains Friday at 6:30p.m. Whitecaps lefty Austin Sodders gets the start against Captains pitcher Micah Miniard. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:20p.m. Tickets can be reserved for any Whitecaps 2017 home contest by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or by visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.
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