COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Blaise Salter delivered a game-winning RBI single in the tenth inning to give the West Michigan Whitecaps a 4-3 comeback victory over the Bowling Green Hot Rods Tuesday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.West Michigan touched Bowling Green starter Brock Burke for two early runs in the
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Blaise Salter delivered a game-winning RBI single in the tenth inning to give the West Michigan Whitecaps a 4-3 comeback victory over the Bowling Green Hot Rods Tuesday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.
West Michigan touched Bowling Green starter Brock Burke for two early runs in the second inning. Austin Athmann blasted a ground-rule double to left-center field scoring Danny Pinero before Jake Robson followed through with a single which scored Athmann. Eudis Idrogo made the start for the 'Caps and held Bowling Green in-check until the fifth inning. A three-run home run by Emilio Gustave gave the Hot Rods their first runs of the series and a 3-2 lead. Bowling Green managed to retire 19 straight Whitecaps batters until the ninth inning. Josh Lester stroked a two-out single and pinch-runner Chad Sedio moved to second base on a wild pitch. Danny Pinero tied the game at 3-3 with a clutch single through the middle, scoring Sedio to the tie game.
After Whitecaps second baseman Anthony Pereira worked a lead-off walk, Danny Woodrow singled, Cam Gibson sacrificed to move the runners and Robson was intentionally walked to load the bases and bring up Salter. The native of Bloomfield Hills, MI slapped a slider on a sharp line drive to right-center to fall just out of the reach of Hot Rods center fielder Josh Lowe; scoring Pereira and providing the 'Caps with their fourth win of 2017 in their last at-bats. Salter also produced a walk-off winner on Opening Day in April.
Idrogo was touched for three earned runs and eight hits in seven innings for the Whitecaps. Trent Szkutnik pitched two relief innings of one-hit baseball for the 'Caps while Jason Foley (2-0) also added two innings of relief and earned his second victory. Brian McAfee (0-1) took the loss for Bowling Green, allowing both late inning runs in 1.1 innings of work. With the win, West Michigan continues an amazing streak of 20 wins in their last 24 games alongside a 2017 season record of 26-12. Bowling Green fell to 16-20 on the year with their fourth consecutive loss.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps conclude this three-game series against the Bowling Green Hot Rods Wednesday for a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan School Kids Day at 11:00a.m. Whitecaps pitcher and reigning Midwest League Pitcher of the Week Alfred Gutierrez gets the start against Hot Rods lefty Travis Ott. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Mike Coleman begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 10:50a.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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