2010 West Michigan Whitecaps Season Tracker

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EIGHT-RUN INNING KNOCKS OFF WHITECAPS
05/26/2010 11:07 PM ET

LANSING, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps could not overcome an eight-run rally in the bottom of the third inning of a 9-5 loss to the Lansing Lugnuts on Wednesday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.

West Michigan (17-30) pounded out 13 hits led by Jordan Lennerton's 3-for-4 night and two-hit games by Michael Rockett, Wade Gaynor and Mike Gosse, but Lansing (28-18) took control with the emphatic rally in the third inning.

Early on, the Whitecaps held two separate leads.

Lennerton started the scoring in the top of the first, smacking a two-out double that plated Gaynor for a 1-0 lead.

After Brad McElroy tied the score with a solo homer in the second, West Michigan rallied again in the top of the third. Billy Alvino singled, Jamie Johnson reached on a would-be double play ball that turned into an error, and Rockett added a base hit to load the bases with nobody out. Alvino came home on the ensuing fielder's choice groundout from Gaynor, while Lennerton added a run-scoring single to right for a 3-1 Whitecaps lead.

But in the bottom of the third, Lansing exploded for a big inning. Eric Eiland drew a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a groundout. With the action on the bases seemingly getting to Whitecaps starter Ramon Lebron, the next four Lansing batters hit safely and nine in a row went on to reach base. Ryan Goins singled home Eiland with one out and scored on a double by Mark Sobolewski to tie the game.

The Lugnuts took a lead on McElroy's RBI-single, but they were far from done. Another base hit and a walk loaded the bases before A.J. Jiminez chased Lebron from the game with a run-scoring base hit. Balbino Fuenmayor greeted reliever Nolan Moody with a two-run double to left center, and Eiland followed with a rally-capping knock that, coupled with an error, plated two more runs. When the dust had settled, 13 Lugnuts had come to the plate and scored eight runs on seven hits for a commanding 9-3 lead.

The 'Caps fought hard to get back into the game, scoring single runs in the fifth and eighth innings. But West Michigan stranded eight runners over that span - and 10 total - as Lansing held on.

Ryan Tepera (5-1) took the win for the Lugnuts despite allowing four runs - three earned - on nine hits over 5.2 innings of work. Steve Turnbull (11) earned the save after entering with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth. He needed just two pitches to escape that jam before cruising through the ninth.

Lebron (4-3) suffered through the loss after coming unraveled in the third inning. He was charged with eight runs on seven hits over 2.1 frames, striking out four and walking two.

The Whitecaps wrap up their eight-game, seven-day road trip in Lansing on Thursday, May 27. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with RHP Jacob Turner (0-2, 4.15) slated to start for West Michigan against RHP Ryan Shopshire (2-3, 5.51) of the Lugnuts. The Whitecaps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Friday, May 28, to start a season-long 10-game homestand with The Score Night, featuring a special visit from the ZOOperstars zany entertainment act. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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TURNER EARNS FIRST PRO WIN AS 'CAPS SPLIT
05/27/2010 10:41 PM ET

LANSING, MI - Jacob Turner earned his first professional win and the West Michigan Whitecaps salvaged a four-game series split with a 4-2 victory against the Lansing Lugnuts on Thursday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.

West Michigan (18-30) also got 3.2 innings of scoreless baseball from a pair of relievers while forcing the league-leading Lansing (28-19) offense to strand 11 men on base.

Turner (1-2), the ninth overall pick in the 2009 draft, picked up his first victory in his seventh professional start just six days after his 19th birthday. The righty struck out five batters over 5.1 innings while allowing two runs on seven hits.

The Whitecaps gave him a lead in the top of the second. Jordan Lennerton, Avisail Garcia and Mike Gosse delivered three straight singles to load the bases with nobody out. Although Billy Alvino grounded into a double play that helped Lansing minimize the damage, Lennerton scored on the twin killing to put the 'Caps ahead, 1-0.

In the fourth, West Michigan added another run. After drawing a leadoff walk, Wade Gaynor used a wild pitch and a stolen base to reach third with just one out. On a 3-2 pitch, Garcia singled through a drawn-in infield to make it a 2-0 ballgame.

The Lugnuts tied the score on Balbino Fuenmayor's two-run homer in the fourth, but West Michigan recaptured the lead in the very next half inning.

With one out in the top of the fifth, Elvin Soto and Luis Palacios benefitted from eight straight balls to draw back-to-back walks. After a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, Jamie Johnson broke the tie with a run-scoring single to right. Following a hit batsman that loaded the bases, Gaynor drove in another run with a fielder's choice groundball that pushed the lead to 4-2.

The bullpen did the rest. After Turner's departure in the sixth, Jose Ortega came in to toss 2.1 scoreless innings with five strikeouts. He gave way to Kenny Faulk, who struck out the last batter of the eighth to strand a pair of runners. He went on to retire the heart of the Lugnuts' batting lineup in order in the ninth, earning his third save of the year.

Ryan Shopshire (2-4) suffered the loss for Lansing, allowing four runs on five hits over 4.1 innings.

The Whitecaps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Friday, May 28, to start a season-long 10-game homestand with a four-game series against the Dayton Dragons. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. and LHP Jade Todd (0-5, 5.15) will take the mound for West Michigan against RHP J.C. Sulbaran (3-3, 5.00) of the Dragons. The game kicks off a loaded Memorial Day Weekend at Fifth Third Ballpark with The Score Night, featuring a special visit from the ZOOperstars zany entertainment act. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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DRAGONS STUN 'CAPS WITH LATE RALLY
05/28/2010 10:18 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps dropped a heart-breaker on Friday night, taking a one-run lead into the ninth inning before letting it slip away in a 5-4 loss to the Dayton Dragons at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (18-31) got eight strong innings from starter Jade Todd and led by a 4-3 score with two outs and the bases empty in the ninth inning before Dayton (20-29) stunned the home crowd with the late rally.

After Kenny Faulk retired the first two batters in the top of the ninth, Cameron Satterwhite and Alex Oliveras drew back-to-back walks to keep the ballgame alive. With two on and two out, Andrew Means lined a single to right and Avisail Garcia came up throwing to the plate. But the ball skipped past the catcher Eric Roof moments before Satterwhite barreled into him shoulder-first, leaving Roof on the ground as Oliveras raced around to score. While Whitecaps' trainer Corey Tremble tended to Roof, the Dragons had suddenly seized a 5-4 lead.

West Michigan mounted a mild threat in the last of the ninth. After replacing Roof defensively in the top of the frame, Billy Alvino led off with a clean single to center. He moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt, but Chris Sedon grounded out and Jamie Johnson's liner to left was caught by Oliveras to end the game.

Chase Ware (1) pitched the final frame for Dayton to earn the save, while Doug Salinas (3-2) was rewarded for two scoreless innings of relief with a win.

Faulk (1-1) was charged with the loss as well as a blown save after allowing two runs - one earned - on one hit in one inning of work.

The late action overshadowed a game in which the 'Caps led most of the way, thanks in part to a fantastic pitching performance by Todd.

The 20-year-old left-hander cruised through eight solid innings of work, allowing three runs - two earned - on seven hits while fanning four and walking one.

Meanwhile, West Michigan scored two runs in both the second and third innings to take a lead.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Roof drew a one-out walk and advanced to third on a base hit by Luis Salas, who ended up at second base after Roof slid in ahead of the throw at third. Sedon tied the score on the first pitch he saw in a Whitecaps uniform, lifting a sacrifice fly to center. Johnson followed with a run-scoring triple for a 2-1 advantage.

After the Dragons tied the score in the top of the third, the 'Caps went back to work in the bottom half of the frame. Wade Gaynor led off with a double and Jordan Lennerton singled to put men at the corners. Garcia and Roof each checked with run-scoring singles that gave West Michigan a 4-2 advantage that held until the ninth-inning drama.

The Whitecaps continue a season-long 10-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with a 7:00 p.m. first pitch against Dayton on Saturday, May 29. RHP Trevor Feeney (4-3, 3.18) will take the mound for West Michigan against RHP Josh Ravin (2-4, 3.61) of the Dragons. The Memorial Day weekend festivities continue with post-game fireworks presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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LAREZ, WHITECAPS HOLD ON IN NINTH
05/29/2010 10:31 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps survived another scare on Saturday night, holding on for a 6-5 win over the Dayton Dragons at Fifth Third Ballpark.

Hernan Perez went 3-for-3 with a homer to lead West Michigan (19-31) and Jordan Lennerton drove in a pair of runs and extended his hitting streak to a team-high nine games. But one night after Dayton (20-30) survived a one-run deficit with the bases empty, two outs and two strikes in the ninth, the Whitecaps were able to withstand another late Dragons rally.

The 'Caps took a 6-5 lead into the ninth before Didi Gregorius reached on an ominous leadoff error. One out later, he moved into scoring position on an infield single by Tommy Nurre - the Dragons' 14th hit of the night. But righty Victor Larez buckled down for a pair of strikeouts, getting Josh Garton swinging on a pay-off pitch before freezing Frank Pfister with a fastball at the knees.

Larez earned his second save of the year while Trevor Feeney (5-3) grabbed the win. Feeney scattered 10 hits over six innings, allowing three runs while fanning six without issuing a walk.

Josh Ravin (2-5) suffered the loss after getting roughed up for five runs - four earned - on eight hits over five innings.

The late action capped an exciting night of baseball in which the game swung back and forth early.

The 'Caps loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the first, taking a lead on Lennerton's sacrifice fly. The game was tied at 1-1 with two outs in the bottom of the fourth when Michael Rockett skied a two-out triple off the wall in left field. Moments later, Rockett came home on a balk to give West Michigan a 2-1 advantage.

In the top of the fifth, the Dragons rallied to jump ahead. Alex Oliveras led off with a double, advanced to third on a single by Andrew Means, and scored on a base hit up the middle by Gregorius. Henry Rodriguez followed with a run-scoring double that put Dayton ahead by a 3-2 score. At a key point in the game, however, Whitceaps Feeney battled back to retire the next three batters in order and strand men at second and third to limit the damage.

West Michigan answered immediately in the bottom half of the frame. Jimmy Gulliver drew a walk, stole second and promptly scored the game-tying run on Jamie Johnson's single to left. Perez followed with a base hit that put runners on first and second. Wade Gaynor laid down a bunt to the left side that both the pitcher and the third baseman attempted to field, but when the hurler Ravin picked up the ball he threw blindly to the vacant base at third. Johnson scored easily as the ball rolled down the left field line, and Perez came home one batter later on a single by Lennerton that made it a 5-3 ballgame.

Perez added a solo homer in the seventh that pushed the lead to 6-3 and turned out to be a crucial insurance run as the Dragons mounted a late rally.

Garton led off the eighth inning with a solo homer that cut the lead to two, and doubles from Frank Pfister and Cameron Satterwhite pulled Dayton to within 6-5.

But in the ninth, Larez closed the door to deliver West Michigan a dramatic victory.

The Whitecaps continue a season-long 10-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch against Dayton on Sunday, May 30. LHP Jared Wesson (N/A) will take the mound for his West Michigan Whitecaps debut against LHP Justin Walker (1-6, 5.51) of the Dragons. The Memorial Day weekend festivities continue with a Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Day featuring free lunch for the first 1,000 kids, player autographs and the opportunity to play catch on the field pre-game, and the chance for kids to run the bases post-game. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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INSIDE-THE-PARK HOMER PROPELS 'CAPS TO VICTORY
05/30/2010 4:39 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps won for the third time in four games on Sunday, jumping out to a 7-0 lead and holding on for a 7-4 victory over the Dayton Dragons at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (20-31) used a five-run outburst in the fourth inning and an inside-the-park home run by Jamie Johnson in the sixth to take a 2-1 series lead heading into Monday's daytime finale. Dayton (20-31) was held in check by Jared Wesson, who twirled six scoreless innings of three-hit baseball in his Midwest League debut.

The story early in the game was starting pitching, as Wesson and Justin Walker matched each other zero-for-zero.

After allowing a single on the first pitch of the afternoon, Wesson (1-0) settled in to retire the next 12 men he faced in order. The 24-year-old lefty out of Mississippi State set down 15 of the first 17 batters before the Dragons finally mounted a rally against him in the sixth. In all, Wesson allowed just three singles and two walks while fanning four over six shutout innings to earn the win.

Meanwhile, Walker had three scoreless frames under his belt before the Whitecaps exploded for a big inning in the bottom of the fourth. The rally started with base hits by Hernan Perez and Wade Gaynor, and there was one out when Avisail Garcia and Alexis Espinoza delivered back-to-back run-scoring singles. With two away, Eric Roof extended the inning by drawing a walk to load the bases. Chris Sedon followed with his first hit as a Whitecap - a two-run single to left - and Johnson drove him in with a double to stake West Michigan to a commanding 5-0 lead.

The 'Caps were back at it in the sixth. After Sedon drew a two-out walk, Johnson smacked a sinking liner to center. Andrew Means hesitated as he charged in, eventually making the decision to dive for a ball that skipped past him and rolled all the way to the wall. As the outfielders hurriedly retreated after the rolling baseball, Johnson burned around the bases for a stand-up, two-run inside-the-park home run that extended the advantage to 7-0.

The Dragons made a late push to make things interesting. In the eighth inning, Dayton sent nine men to the plate as a two-run single by Henry Rodriguez highlighted a four-run rally. One inning later, a pair of ninth-inning single brought the potential game-tying run to the plate before Nolan Moody used a strikeout and a groundout clinch his first save of the year.

Johnson went 2-for-5 with three RBI in the game and has now recorded both a hit and an RBI in five consecutive contests. Jordan Lennerton added a 2-for-4 afternoon to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, the longest by a Whitecaps hitter this season.

The Whitecaps continue a season-long 10-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch against Dayton on Monday, May 31. RHP Ramon Lebron (4-3, 5.35) will take the mound for West Michigan against RHP Jacob Johnson (1-4, 5.31) of the Dragons. The holiday weekend festivities continue with a special daytime contest on Memorial Day and All Faiths Day presented by JQ 99, offering fans that bring a church or community bulletin half-price box or reserved seats. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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BULLPEN TOUCHED UP IN LATE LOSS
06/01/2010 2:37 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps could not protect a 4-0 lead on Tuesday, allowing eight unanswered runs to the hard-charging Burlington Bees in an 8-4 loss at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (20-32) led by four runs after five innings of play, but the bullpen faltered late as Burlington (18-34) put together four-run rallies in the both sixth and ninth innings. In addition to opening a three-game series, Tuesday's contest marked the beginning of a two-week stretch of interdivisional play between Midwest League teams.

The Whitecaps were sitting pretty during the first half of the contest.

With two men on and one out in the first inning, Jordan Lennerton blasted a 2-1 pitch to right-center that started the scoring with a two-run double. Two batters later, Michael Rockett added a two-base hit to left that scored Lennerton for a quick 3-0 advantage. Jimmy Gulliver added a sacrifice fly to put West Michigan ahead by a 4-0 score in the bottom of the fourth.

Meanwhile, starter Jacob Turner carried a four-hit shutout into the sixth inning.

The Bees started the game-tying rally with consecutive one-out singles by Joey Lewis and Carlo Testa in the sixth. Lewis scored when Rene Oriental ripped a grounder that snuck through the legs of third baseman Wade Gaynor, chasing Turner from the ballgame. Juan Graterol greeted reliever Victor Larez with a single that loaded the bases, and Hilton Richardson smacked a two-run single to right that made it a one-run game. Deivy Batista followed with a base hit that scored Graterol and tied the game at 4-4, though Richardson was gunned down at the plate to end the inning.

The 'Caps nearly broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth, threatening with runners at second and third and two away. Jamie Johnson smoked a 3-1 pitch up the middle, but Ryan Dennick somehow found a way to get a glove on it and rob Johnson of the potential go-ahead hit.

Moments later, Burlington finished their comeback in the top of the ninth against Jose Ortega. J.D. Alfaro singled, stole second, and scored the go-ahead run on a double by Lewis. Another base hit and a walk loaded the bases for Graterol, who's single to center drove in one run while another was cut down at the dish after catcher Billy Alvino withstood a vicious collision. After a pitching change, Ryan Wood delivered a two-run single that capped the Bees' 8-4, come-from-behind win.

Derrick (1-1) earned the victory for Burlington after contributing three scoreless innings of relief. Ortega (0-3) suffered the loss for West Michigan, allowing four runs on four hits and three walks in just 1.2 frames.

Despite the loss, Lennerton extended his hitting streak to a season-high 11-games with a 2-for-4 performance. During the stretch, he is batting an even .500 (20-40) with seven doubles, nine RBI and seven multi-hit games.

The Whitecaps continue a season-long 10-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with an 11:00 a.m. first pitch on Wednesday, June 2. West Michigan will send LHP Jade Todd (0-5, 4.70) to the mound against RHP Brian Paukovits (2-2, 3.61) for the second game of a three-game set against the Burlington Bees, affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Wednesday's ballgame will be Nestle Quick Day at the ballpark as well as a Wellness Wednesday, enabling fans to walk around the warning track before the game and get $2 off reserved tickets by showing a Priorty Health card at the box office. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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BEES OUTLAST 'CAPS, RAIN
06/02/2010 5:01 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Playing in between the raindrops at Fifth Third Ballpark, the West Michigan Whitecaps dropped a 4-0 decision to the Burlington Bees on Wednesday afternoon.

On a school day in which an enthusiastic crowd of 7,259 turned out for a ballgame, West Michigan (20-33) and Burlington (19-34) waited through a pair of rain delays totaling three hours and one minute before ultimately finishing the contest nearly six hours after the scheduled first pitch.

Heavy rains throughout the morning pushed back the original 11:00 a.m. start time for two hours and 39 minutes before the rain subsided, the field was readied for play, and the game finally started.

When play resumed, the Bees grabbed an early lead. After a one-out single by Deivy Batista in the top of the first, catching prospect Wil Myers clubbed a two-run homer to left. Rated as the No. 3 prospect in the Kansas City Royals' farm system, Myers' seventh bomb of the year gave Burlington a 2-0 lead.

They extended the advantage with single runs in the third and fourth. Batista doubled to spark the rally in the third, eventually coming around to score on a two-out knock by Joey Lewis. One inning later, Fernando Cruz singled and scored on a sacrifice fly to push the Bees' lead to 4-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, the skies opened up again and a steady rain fell persistently over the next few innings. The conditions of the mound continued to suffer until the game was put into a second rain delay before the start of the seventh inning. After a 22-minute wait, the tarp was removed and play resumed again.

Although the second delay cut his outing short, Burlington starter Brian Paukovits (2-2, 3.61) earned the win after twirling six shutout innings. The 22-year-old righty struck out seven without issuing a walk and allowed just three hits. Despite the deteriorating mound conditions as the rain worsened during the end of his outing, Paukovits retired the last eight batters he faced and struck out the last three.

The bullpens took over after the second delay and both teams were held scoreless over the final three frames. Scott Kelley (1) tossed all three innings for the Bees to earn the save, while Nathan Newman and Kenny Faulk combined for three shutout innings of relief for West Michigan.

The Whitecaps continue a season-long 10-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with a 7:00 p.m. first pitch on Thursday, June 3. West Michigan will send RHP Trevor Feeney (5-3, 3.30) to the mound against RHP Tyler Sample (2-2, 4.20) for the finale of a three-game set against the Burlington Bees, affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Fans at Thursday's game will be treated to entertainment from the Famous Chicken and an Altogas Thrifty Thursday as well as a post-game concert by the Ragbirds. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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FEENEY, GULLIVER LEAD 'CAPS TO 9-2 WIN
06/03/2010 10:23 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps equaled their largest victory of the season on Thursday night, getting eight strong innings from Trevor Feeney and four RBI from Jimmy Gulliver in a 9-2 win over the Burlington Bees at Fifth Third Ballpark.

Eager to avoid a series sweep, West Michigan (21-33) came out fighting and benefitted from 11 walks issued by the Burlington (19-35) pitching staff. The seven-run win tied a 7-0 performance against South Bend on May 13for their largest margin of victory this season.

Meanwhile, Feeney (6-3) pitched at least eight innings for the fifth time in 12 starts, increasing his league-leading total to 79 innings pitched and clinching his team-high sixth win. A day before his 24th birthday, the Northern Illinois product scattered seven hits and allowed just one run while fanning four and walking one.

While Feeney held the Bees in check, Gulliver provided the offense. The game was scoreless until he led off the bottom of the third with a base hit to right and later scored for a 1-0 edge.

In the fourth inning, Gulliver delivered the big blow of the night. With a pair of walks giving the Whitecaps two baserunners, the 23-year-old Eastern Michigan product lifted a towering three-run homer to right that extended the lead to 4-0.

West Michigan took advantage of more Burlington wildness in the sixth. Reliever Mitch Hodge came in for the Bees and faced five batters but failed to record an out, issuing three walks and allowing two hits. He walked Gulliver with the bases loaded to add another run, giving Gulliver his fourth RBI of the night. Hernan Perez followed with a two-run single and Ronnie Bourquin added a run-scoring hit later in the frame, staking the Whitecaps to a commanding 8-0 lead.

Michael Rockett doubled and scored in the seventh to make it 9-0 before the Bees scratched across single runs in the eighth and ninth innings for the 9-2 final.

Tyler Sample (2-3, 4.47) suffered the loss for Burlington, allowing just two hits but issuing five walks and allowing four runs over five frames.

The Whitecaps wind down their season-long 10-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with the opener of a three-game series against the Peoria Chiefs, affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, on Friday, June 4. The 7:00 p.m. first pitch will feature LHP Giovanni Soto (4-3, 1.81) on the mound for the Whitecaps and RHP Nick Struck (2-4, 4.14) on the hill for the Chiefs. Jack Morris will be at the ballpark to meet with fans and sign autographs on the first of six Tiger Fridays in 2010, and the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a Jack Morris bobblehead doll. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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GARCIA'S GAME-SAVING CATCH LEADS TO VICTORY
06/04/2010 11:18 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps put on a show Friday night, homering twice while tying a season-high with 16 hits and using a spectacular home run-robbing catch to beat the Peoria Chiefs, 9-4, in the opener of a three-game set at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (22-33) also tied a season-high with seven extra-base hits, but it was Avisail Garcia's tremendous grab in the eighth inning that robbed Peoria (29-26) of a potential go-ahead home run and brought the crowd of 6,313 to their feet.

The 'Caps were hanging on to a 5-3 lead at the time. The Chiefs opened the top of the eighth inning with a pair of singles and had men at first and second when Charles Thomas flew out to the wall in left field for the second out. On the very next pitch, Francisco Guzman clubbed a long fly to right that chased Garcia back to the wall. The 19-year-old prospect from Venezuela raced back and jumped high in the air, pulling back a potential three-run homer to preserve West Michigan's two-run advantage.

The exuberant crowd barely had a chance to sit down before Michael Rockett blasted the first pitch of the bottom of the eighth over the 400-foot marker in center field for a home run. Two outs later, Chris Sedon lifted a longball to right that bounced off the top of the wall and over the fence for his first home run as a professional. After a pitching change, Hernan Perez doubled home a run and scored on a base hit by Garcia, as West Michigan used a four-run eighth inning to jump out to a commanding 9-3 lead.

Although the Chiefs tacked on a final run in the ninth, the damage was already done. In addition to equaling season-highs with 16 hits and seven extra-base hits, a number of Whitecaps notched excellent individual efforts. Rockett led the way with a 3-for-4 night that included four RBI, while Sedon and Garcia also checked in with three-hit efforts.

Victor Larez (4-6) earned the win out of the bullpen, going 3.1 frames and allowing just one unearned run on four hits with three strikeouts. Peoria starter Nick Struck (2-5) took the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits over four frames.

Although West Michigan built a lead early on, the Chiefs never went away.

The Whitecaps reached the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. Jamie Johnson led off with a walk and Perez singled him to second, while Garcia poked an RBI-double down the first base line. Though West Michigan failed to add to the lead despite runners at second and third with nobody out, they took a 1-0 advantage.

After the Chiefs tied things up on a single by Justin Bour in the top of the third, the 'Caps answered with a two-out rally in the bottom half of the frame. A single, walk and a hit batsman loaded the bases, setting the stage for Rockett to smack a bases-clearing triple to center field. The three-run hit made it a 4-1 Whitecaps' lead.

Peoria tallied another single run in the top of the fourth, but West Michigan had another answer. Eric Roof led off the bottom of the frame with a double and scored on a two-base hit by Johnson that made it a 5-2 ballgame.

The Whitecaps wind down their season-long 10-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with game two of a three-game series against the Peoria Chiefs, affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, on Saturday, June 5. The 7:00 p.m. first pitch will feature RHP Ramon Lebron (4-3, 5.35) on the mound for the Whitecaps and RHP Trey McNutt (4-0, 1.70) on the hill for the Chiefs. Fans in attendance will be treated to a spectacular post-game fireworks show presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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WHITECAPS AND CHIEFS SUSPENDED WITH 4-4 TIE
06/05/2010 9:45 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Mother Nature continued to wreak havoc at Fifth Third Ballpark on Saturday night, forcing the West Michigan Whitecaps and Peoria Chiefs into a rain-suspended game with a 4-4 tie in the middle of the third inning.

The two clubs will resume play at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, playing out the duration of the nine-inning game that began on Saturday. Following a 30-minute break, West Michigan (22-33) and Peoria (29-26) will wrap up the series with a seven-inning contest to account for Sunday's regularly scheduled game.

Before Saturday's rain became too much to play through, the Whitecaps shot out of the gates quickly against Chiefs' starter Trey McNutt, who entered play with an undefeated 4-0 record and the league's third-best ERA at 1.70.

Jamie Johnson led off the bottom of the first with a single through the left side, Wade Gaynor reached base on a one-out error, and Jordan Lennerton singled to center to load the bases. Avisail Garcia put the 'Caps on the board with a base hit up the middle and Ronnie Bourquin drew a four-pitch walk that forced home a second run. Michael Rockett followed with a sacrifice fly and Chris Sedon added a bloop single down the right field line as West Michigan seized a 4-0 lead.

The Chiefs wasted little time fighting back. Jae-Hoon Ha tripled and scored in the second to put Peoria on the board and DJ Fitzgerald cracked a two-run homer in the third. Later in the frame, Ha manufactured a run by drawing a walk, stealing second base and taking third on a wild pitch. Moments later, Mario Mercedes tied the score with a single down the first base line.

At the end of the top of the third, the game was put into a rain delay that lasted 46 minutes before being officially suspended until Sunday afternoon.

The Whitecaps wrap up their season-long 10-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark on Sunday, June 6, with a quasi-doubleheader that will feature the completion of Saturday's suspended nine-inning game followed by a seven-inning contest. The afternoon of baseball will begin with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch, and will feature Tigers' first-round pick and top prospect RHP Jacob Turner (1-2, 3.68) on the mound at some point for the Whitecaps. The first 1,000 kids through the gates will receive free food on a Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Day, while there will be player autographs and the opportunity to play catch on the field pre-game as well as kids running the bases post-game. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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ESPINOZA'S TAPE-MEASURE BLAST LEADS TO SPLIT
06/06/2010 6:24 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Alexis Espinoza blasted a mammoth walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday at Fifth Third Ballpark, helping the West Michigan Whitecaps end the day with a 3-2 victory after suffering an earlier 8-5 loss in the completion of Saturday night's rain-suspended ballgame against the Peoria Chiefs.

West Michigan (23-34) finished a 5-4 homestand in grand fashion, taking two of three games from Peoria (30-27) in the process.

In a game that was only scheduled to last seven innings, Espinoza came to the plate with a 2-2 score, two outs and the bases empty in the bottom of the ninth. With a 3-1 count, the 21-year-old from Venezuela clubbed a ball to deep center that not only cleared the 400-foot fence, but landed atop the roof of the Pepsi Stadium Club. The jaw-dropping blast sent the crowd into a frenzy as the 'Caps spilled out of the dugout to celebrate a 3-2 win.

The dramatic homer capped a comeback that prevented the Whitecaps from losing twice in the same day.

After dropping the early game, West Michigan starter Jared Wesson struggled with his control in game two. Just one start after firing off six shutout innings in his Whitecaps' debut on May 30, the lefty out of Mississippi State walked three men in the first inning but wiggled out of the bases loaded jam. He was removed in the second after walking two more batters, both of which came home on a single by Jak-Ju Lee that gave the Chiefs a 2-0 lead.

The Whitecaps battled back to even things up, as Luis Salas doubled and scored on two-out singles in both the third and fifth innings. Hernan Perez brought him home in the third, while Jamie Johnson extended his hitting streak to 10 with the game-tying knock in the fifth.

Kenny Faulk (2-1) earned the win after tossing a scoreless top of the ninth, while Steven Grife (2-1) was victimized by Espinoza for the loss.

Earlier in the afternoon, the Chiefs won the completion of Saturday night's rain-suspended contest. West Michigan had jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning on Saturday night before Peoria rallied to tie the score shortly before the game was suspended. When play resumed on Sunday, the Whitecaps and Chiefs were tied at 4-4 heading to the bottom of the third.

The 'Caps won the race to the scoreboard when the action picked up on Sunday. Perez doubled to lead off the bottom of the fourth and moved to third on a groundout. With the infield in, Jordan Lennerton singled up the middle to put West Michigan ahead, 5-4.

In the seventh inning the Chiefs turned the tables, sending nine men to the plate and scoring four runs on five hits. Four consecutive singles opened the frame, as DJ Fitzgerald's base hit to right tied the score and a two-run single by Justin Bour gave Peoria the lead. Two outs later, Francisco Guzman's flare-single to center plated another run as the Chiefs seized an 8-5 advantage.

Su-Min Jung (5-3) took the win with five strong innings of relief, fanning five and allowing just one run. James Leverton (4) came in at the end to earn the save, facing just one batter but inducing a game-ending double play with the bases loaded.

Jacob Turner (1-3) suffered the loss, allowing four runs in one inning of an otherwise solid outing. The 19-year-old prospect tossed six frames of relief to start Sunday's action, but was charged with four runs on eight hits in the loss.

The Whitecaps take the day off on Monday before embarking on a six-game road trip to Western Division clubs in Cedar Rapids and Quad Cities. West Michigan sends LHP Jade Todd (0-6, 4.84) to the mound for Tuesday's series opener against the Cedar Rapids Kernels and RHP Ariel Pena (0-1, 3.65). Following the road trip, the 'Caps will be back at Fifth Third Ballpark for a three-game series against the Lake County Captains that starts on Tuesday, June 15, with an all-you-can-eat food package on a Fat Tuesday and Senior Night. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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EARLY LEAD EVAPORATES AS 'CAPS DROP OPENER
06/08/2010 10:58 PM ET

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The West Michigan Whitecaps could not hold an early lead in Tuesday night's road trip opener against the Cedar Rapids Kernels, falling by a 6-2 score on Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

As interdivisional play continues, West Michigan (23-35) began a six-game road trip against the top two teams in the Eastern Division standings on Tuesday. After the 'Caps jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, however, first-place Cedar Rapids (37-21) stormed back for six unanswered runs and used a five-run outburst in the third to snatch the victory.

The Whitecaps looked strong to open the game. After the first two batters of the first were retired, Kernels' starter Ariel Pena walked both Wade Gaynor and Jordan Lennerton. Avisail Garcia stepped in next and swung at the first pitch he saw, grounding a base hit up the middle that plated Gaynor for a 1-0 lead. In the second, Jimmy Gulliver led off with a single and was promptly doubled to third by Billy Alvino. Jamie Johnson followed with a run-scoring groundout for a 2-0 edge.

Shortly thereafter, the Kernels turned things around. After pushing across a two-out run in the second to cut the deficit in half, Cedar Rapids sent 10 men to the plate and took the lead with a big rally in the bottom of the third.

West Michigan starter Jade Todd issued a pair of walks to start the inning and Matt Long doubled home the game-tying run. One out later, Casey Haerther singled home the go-ahead run while advancing Long to third. Todd struck out the next batter and was on the verge of escaping the jam with just a 3-2 deficit, but Cedar Rapids seized control over a sequence of the next three pitches.

With Justin Bass batting and runners at the corners, Haerther broke for second base as the Kernels aggressively attempted the double steal. Long raced towards the plate as the throw sailed to second and Haerther slid in ahead of the tag, while Long scored easily for a 4-2 lead. The next pitch with singled to center as Bass drove in Haerther, and Michael Wing lined the very next offering to right for a run-scoring triple and a 6-2 Cedar Rapids advantage.

Despite the flurry of scoring early, neither team was able to score past the third inning.

Pena (1-1) settled in to earn the victory for the Kernels, overcoming five walks and an early deficit to throw six innings. He was charged with two runs on four hits while fanning five, and was followed by a trio of hurlers that combined for three shutout frames of one-hit relief.

Todd (0-7) suffered his seventh straight loss to open the season for West Michigan. The lefty was touched up for six runs on six hits over 2.2 innings before relievers Nolan Moody and Nathan Newman combined for 5.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

In the seventh, Jamie Johnson singled to left to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. He is batting .349 with 10 RBI during the streak, which is just one shy of the team-high established by Jordan Lennerton from May 21-June 2.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game road trip to the Western Division with a 7:35 p.m. ET first pitch against the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Wednesday, June 9. West Michigan sends RHP Trevor Feeney (6-3, 3.08) to the mound for game two of a three-game series against LHP Tyler Skaggs (5-2, 2.63) and the Kernels. Following the road trip, the 'Caps will be back at Fifth Third Ballpark for a three-game set against the Lake County Captains that starts on Tuesday, June 15, with an all-you-can-eat food package on a Fat Tuesday and Senior Night. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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KERNELS RALLY TO KNOCK OFF 'CAPS AGAIN
06/09/2010 10:11 PM ET

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The West Michigan Whitecaps could not hold a 2-0 lead for the second straight night on Wednesday, falling to the Cedar Rapids Kernels, 5-2, on Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

After jumping out to another early advantage, West Michigan (23-36) managed just one hit after the third inning while Cedar Rapids (38-21) rallied for five unanswered runs to improve to a dominant 20-4 on their home turf.

The Whitecaps led 2-0 with ace Trevor Feeney on the mound before the Kernels reached the scoreboard in the fourth. Casey Haerther sent a liner to right that turned into a triple when Avisail Garcia failed to make a diving catch, and Jose Jimenez followed with a sacrifice fly to make it a 2-1 ballgame.

Two innings later, 'Caps starter Trevor Feeney issued his first walk of the game with two outs in the sixth. It turned out to be bad timing, as Jimenez followed by turning on a 1-1 pitch left up in the zone and cracking a two-run homer that put Cedar Rapids ahead by a 3-2 score.

The Kernels tacked on a pair of key insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. With runners at second and third, Casey Haerther lined the first pitch he saw up the middle for a two-run single that gave Cedar Rapids a 5-2 cushion.

Piggyback starter Tyler Kehrer (2-2) earned the win out of the Kernels bullpen, facing the minimum over three hitless innings of relief after Tyler Skaggs started and pitched the first five frames. Johnny Hellweg (7) worked around an infield single that led off the ninth for his seventh save in as many tries.

Feeney (6-4) suffered the loss for West Michigan, though he pitched better than his final line suggests. After carrying a shutout into the fourth and the lead into the sixth, Feeney was ultimately charged with five runs on nine hits over 7.1 innings of work.

The Whitecaps took their early lead in the top of the second inning. After reaching on a one-out single, Alexis Espinoza stole second and advanced to third when the catcher's throw skipped into center field. Michael Rockett followed with a grounder to the right side of a drawn-in infield that was stopped by a diving Jean Segura at second base, but the throw to the plate was not in time as Espinoza slid in for the game's first run. Rockett eventually came home to score on an infield single by Jamie Johnson with two outs in the frame.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game road trip to the Western Division with a 7:35 p.m. ET first pitch against the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Thursday, June 10. West Michigan sends all-star LHP Giovanni Soto (4-3, 1.99) to the mound for the finale of a three-game series against LHP Stephen Locke (1-0, 3.38) and the Kernels. Following the road trip, the 'Caps will be back at Fifth Third Ballpark for a three-game set against the Lake County Captains that starts on Tuesday, June 15, with an all-you-can-eat food package on a Fat Tuesday and Senior Night. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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KERNELS "LOCK" DOWN SERIES SWEEP
06/10/2010 10:46 PM ET

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The West Michigan Whitecaps were stifled by the Cedar Rapids Kernels and starting pitcher Stephen Locke on Thursday night in a 5-2 loss on Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

After West Michigan (23-37) was swept by first-place Cedar Rapids (39-21) in the three-game series, the Whitecaps will continue their six-game road trip against the Western Division with a three-game set in Quad Cities over the weekend.

On Thursday, Kernels' starter Stephen Locke was the man of the hour. The 24-year-old lefty carried a one-hit shutout into the seventh inning before the Whitecaps stung him for two late home runs. Despite the longballs, Locke (2-0) earned the win with seven strikeouts over eight strong innings, allowing just two runs on five hits. He went deep into the ballgame despite throwing just 85 pitches, and recorded 19 of his 24 outs either on the ground or through the strikeout.

Meanwhile, the Kernels mounted a rally in the bottom of the third inning to break a scoreless tie. Jon Karcich drew a leadoff walk and Matt Long singled him to second with one away. Jean Segura started the scoring with an RBI-single through the right side. With men at second and third Casey Haerther hit a grounder to shortstop, but the throw to the plate by Hernan Perez was off line and Long slid home safely. Cedar Rapids capped the rally with their second double-steal of the series, as Haerther induced a rundown between first and second while Segura broke for the plate and beat the throw for a 3-0 advantage.

One inning later, the Kernels added two unearned runs in the fourth. With runners at second and third and two away, Long hit a hard grounder to the right side that snuck under the glove of first baseman Jordan Lennerton. Both runners scored on the error as Cedar Rapids pushed the lead to 5-0.

West Michigan made a game of it late, getting leadoff home runs from Wade Gaynor in the seventh and Michael Rockett in the eighth to pull to within 5-2.

The late power surge was not enough, however, as Jeremy Berg (4) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the save for the Kernels.

Giovanni Soto (4-4) suffered the loss for the Whitecaps, lasting just 2.2 innings and allowing three runs on three hits and three walks in his first start since being named a Midwest League All-Star on Tuesday.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game road trip to the Western Division with an 8:00 p.m. ET first pitch against the Quad Cities River Bandits on Friday, June 11. West Michigan sends RHP Ramon Lebron (4-3, 5.63) to the mound for the first game of a three-game series against RHP Deryk Hooker (2-2, 2.70) and the River Bandits. Following the road trip, the 'Caps will be back at Fifth Third Ballpark for a three-game set against the Lake County Captains that starts on Tuesday, June 15, with an all-you-can-eat food package on a Fat Tuesday and Senior Night. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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SEVEN-RUN FIRST SINKS 'CAPS EARLY
06/11/2010 11:15 PM ET

DAVENPORT, IA - The West Michigan Whitecaps had their fate determined early on Friday night, serving up seven runs in the first inning of an 8-3 loss to the Quad Cities River Bandits at Modern Woodmen Park.

West Michigan (23-38) is now 0-4 to start their six-game Western Division road trip, losing the series opener against the second-place River Bandits after suffering a series sweep at the hands of first-place Cedar Rapids earlier in the week. After their offensive outburst set the tone, the Quad Cities (36-25) pitching staff racked up 13 strikeouts without issuing a walk to secure the victory.

The River Bandits jumped all over Whitecaps' starter Ramon Lebron, batting around in the bottom of the first inning and sending him to the showers early.

After singles by Michael Swinson and Ryan Jackson started the rally, Jason Stidham clubbed a two-run triple to the base of the wall in center that gave Quad Cities a 2-0 lead before an out had been recorded. After a groundout, Lebron issued consecutive walks to Robert Stock and Frederick Parejo that loaded the bases. C.J. Beatty drove home a run with a groundout to first for a 3-0 advantage.

Things continued to unravel from there. Edgar Lara followed by smacking an opposite-field double into the right-center field gap that plated two more runs. Lebron issued another walk before being removed, but reliever Nathan Newman was greeted with a two-run triple by Swinson that sailed over the head of Jamie Johnson in center field.

When the dust had settled, the River Bandits had sent 11 men to the plate and taken a 7-0 lead on five hits and three walks.

Quad Cities cruised to the victory from there, led by starter Deryk Hooker (3-2) and his five scoreless innings. The 20-year-old righty from San Diego scattered five hits while fanning six and walking none. In the process, Hooker lowered his ERA at Modern Woodmen Park to a paltry 0.30 with 36 strikeouts and just five walks in 30 innings of work.

Lara added a solo homer in the sixth to push the River Bandits lead to 8-0 before the Whitecaps finally cracked the scoreboard in the top of the eighth.

For the second straight night Wade Gaynor broke up the shutout with a late solo home run, blasting his fifth longball of the year with one out in the eighth. Jordan Lennerton followed with a double and Avisail Garcia reached on an infield single to put runners at the corners. Ronnie Bourquin plated Lennerton with a groundout and Michael Rockett added an RBI-single to bring the 'Caps to within 8-3, but it was too little too late.

Lebron (4-4) suffered the loss for West Michigan after getting knocked around for seven runs on four hits and three walks over just two-thirds of an inning. Since throwing back-to-back scoreless outings on May 3 and May 8 to improve to 4-1 and lower his earned run average to 2.70, the 21-year-old Dominican has gone 0-3 with a 22.00 ERA in four shaky starts.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game road trip to the Western Division with a 7:00 p.m. ET first pitch against the Quad Cities River Bandits on Saturday, June 12. West Michigan sends RHP Jacob Turner (1-3, 4.01) to the mound for the second game of a three-game series against RHP Eric Fornataro (5-4, 3.84) and the River Bandits. Following the road trip, the 'Caps will be back at Fifth Third Ballpark for a three-game set against the Lake County Captains that starts on Tuesday, June 15, with an all-you-can-eat food package on a Fat Tuesday and Senior Night. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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'CAPS RALLY BACK BUT LOSE IN EXTRAS
06/12/2010 10:55 PM ET

DAVENPORT, IA - The West Michigan Whitecaps fought back from a 3-0 deficit to force extra innings on Saturday night, only to watch the Quad Cities River Bandits walk off with a 4-3 win in the bottom of the 10th inning at Modern Woodmen Park.

The loss was the fifth in a row for West Michigan (23-39), equaling their longest losing streak of the season. The Whitecaps need a win over Quad Cities (37-25) in the series finale on Sunday evening to avoid going 0-6 on the current Western Division road trip.

Trailing 3-0 after six innings of play, the Whitecaps clawed their way back into the ballgame with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. There were two away when Alexis Espinoza blasted a run-scoring double off the top of the wall in right-center, and two pitches later Michael Rockett's single plated Espinoza to bring the 'Caps within 3-2.

Two innings later, a key error helped West Michigan tie the score in the top of the ninth.

After Ronnie Bourquin drew a leadoff walk, Espinoza sent a one-hopper to the mound that appeared to be a sure double play ball. The throw to second from pitcher Jesse Simpson was low and bounced into shallow right, however, leaving runners at the corners with nobody out. Rockett followed with the game-tying single, rolling a groundball up the middle that brought home Bourquin for a 3-3 tie.

After evening the score, the Whitecaps nearly pushed across the go-ahead run. There were runners at second and third and one out when Jimmy Gulliver sent a bouncer to the right side, but the River Bandits had the infield in and threw out Espinoza at the plate. Later in the frame, Hernan Perez flew out to center as West Michigan stranded the bases loaded in the ninth.

The 3-3 deadlock remained until the 10th inning, when the River Bandits got back-to-back one-out singles from Michael Swinson and Ryan Jackson to place men on the corners. With the infield in, Whitecaps reliever Kenny Faulk induced a groundout to second that forced the runners to hold. Clean-up batter Niko Vasquez stepped in next, however, and smacked an 0-1 pitch to the wall in left-center for the game-winning hit and the 4-3, walk-off win.

Aaron Terry (2-2) earned the victory after throwing a scoreless top of the 10th for Quad Cities, while Faulk (2-2) suffered the loss in the bottom half of the frame for West Michigan.

The late action overshadowed an early pitchers' duel between a pair of Midwest League All-Stars.

Jacob Turner started for the 'Caps and allowed just three hits with five strikeouts over 5.2 innings. He was taken out of the game with two outs in the sixth, at which point the lone run against him came around to score after his removal. The River Bandits went on to score two more runs in the frame against reliever Victor Larez to jump out to a 3-0 lead.

Turner's counterpart was Eric Formataro, who carried a three-hit shutout into the seventh before the Whitecaps were able to break through. Fornataro struck out five and did not issue a walk while allowing two runs on six hits over seven innings.

The Whitecaps conclude a six-game road trip to the Western Division with a 6:00 p.m. ET first pitch against the Quad Cities River Bandits on Sunday, June 13. West Michigan sends LHP Jade Todd (0-7, 5.52) to the mound for the finale of a three-game series against RHP Michael Blazek (2-3, 4.79) and the River Bandits. The 'Caps will be back at Fifth Third Ballpark for a three-game set against the Lake County Captains that starts on Tuesday, June 15, with an all-you-can-eat food package on a Fat Tuesday and Senior Night. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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TOUGH-LUCK TODD TOSSES THREE-HITTER, TAKES LOSS
06/13/2010 9:15 PM ET

DAVENPORT, IA - Jade Todd was fantastic in his best outing of the year on Sunday evening, but even a complete game three-hitter could not stop the West Michigan Whitecaps' losing streak in a 2-1 loss to the Quad Cities River Bandits at Modern Woodmen Park.

West Michigan (23-40) sunk to 17 games below .500 after their sixth consecutive loss, their longest skid of the season. Quad Cities (38-25) handed the Whitecaps a second series sweep in a row during an 0-6 road trip against the top two teams in the Western Division.

Todd (0-8) was tremendous for most of the evening, suffering his eighth consecutive loss to open the season despite allowing just three hits over eight strong innings. The lefty struck out five and issued one walk, using 83 efficient pitches for the complete game and finishing strong by striking out the side in the eighth. Unfortunately, two of the three hits against Todd were solo homers that propelled the River Bandits to victory.

Quad Cities reached the scoreboard when Edgar Lara clubbed a solo homer on an 0-2 pitch in the third, but the Whitecaps mounted a serious threat in the top of the fourth. It all started when Alexis Espinoza beat out an infield single with two away while Michael Rockett promptly doubled him to third. Eric Roof followed with a deep fly ball to left, but Jason Stidham raced back, spun around and made a sprawling catch on the warning track as he fell into the base of the wall - saving two runs and preserving the River Bandits' 1-0 lead.

In the bottom half of the frame, Stidham stepped to the plate with one out and blasted a 3-1 pitch over the right field fence. The Florida State product's fifth home run of the year gave Quad Cities a 2-0 edge.

That score held until the seventh, when Chris Sedon stroked on a one-out single and Hernan Perez reached base on an error. The next batter was Wade Gaynor, who swung at an 0-2 pitch and laced a base hit through the left side that plated Sedon to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The Whitecaps comeback stalled there, however. West Michigan left 13 men on base and stranded multiple runners in an inning on six separate occasions, including each of the last three frames.

Ronnie Bourquin gave the 'Caps hope with a two-out double in the ninth and Espinoza came up with two on and two out. But exactly one week after his walk-off homer beat Peoria at Fifth Third Ballpark, Espinoza flied out on the eighth pitch of a dramatic at-bat against reliever Jason Novak to end the game.

Michael Blazek (3-3) earned the win for Quad Cities with five shutout frames, capping a series in which River Bandits starters combined to go 2-0 with a 1.06 ERA (17IP/2R), 17 strikeouts and just one walk. Novak (1) faced just one batter, but notched the biggest out of the game to earn his first save of the year.

After an off-day on Monday, the Whitecaps return to Fifth Third Ballpark for a three-game set against the Lake County Captains that starts with a 7:00 p.m. first pitch on Tuesday, June 15. West Michigan will send RHP Trevor Feeney (6-4, 3.34) to the mound against RHP Austin Adams (2-3, 3.72) of the Captains. All fans can take advantage of an all-you-can-eat food package on a Fat Tuesday while those 50 and older are eligible for half-price box and reserved seats thanks to a Bob Evans Senior Night. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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'CAPS FAST START CAN'T SLOW DOWN CAPTAINS, RAIN
06/15/2010 10:11 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps came out swinging to start their final home series of the first half on Tuesday, but a roaring comeback by the Lake County Captains followed by a powerful rainstorm resulted in a 7-5 loss in a rain-shortened, five-inning contest at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (23-41) jumped out to a 5-1 lead after three innings of play only to watch Lake County (41-23) storm back for six unanswered runs before heavy rains forced the umpires to halt the action. The Whitecaps current seven-game losing streak is their longest since 2007 and tied for the second longest in franchise history.

Following an 0-6 road trip, the Whitecaps wasted little time seizing control with four extra base hits and seven total hits through the first three frames.

Jamie Johnson led off the first with a triple to left-center moments before Wade Gaynor clubbed his team-leading sixth home run of the year to left. In the second, Ronnie Bourquin doubled and scored on a base hit by Jimmy Gulliver, running over the catcher on a vicious play at the plate. The Whitecaps lead was 3-1 when Gaynor doubled and scored in the third and Michael Rockett added a run-scoring single that put West Michigan in front, 5-1.

But as a steady rain hovered over Fifth Third Ballpark, the first-place Captains never rolled over.

Lake County's Jeremie Tice checked in with a two-out single to plate a run in the top of the fourth. One batter later, Jason Smit doubled him home to make it a 5-3 ballgame.

With the contest heading towards official status in the fifth, the Captains made their move. Base hits by Delvi Cid and Bo Greenwell set the stage for Casey Frawley to tie the score with a seeing-eye, two-run single that glanced off the glove of a diving Hernan Perez at shortstop. One pitch later, Chun Chen cracked a two-run homer to left-center that gave Lake County the decisive 7-5 margin.

After the 'Caps went down in order in the bottom of the fifth, the game was put into a delay until being officially called by the umpires.

Vidal Nuno (2-1) earned the win for the Captains despite getting knocked around for five runs on eight hits over four innings of work. Nick Kirk (1) earned the save with a scoreless fifth inning in his first appearance with Lake County.

The loss went to Trevor Feeney (6-5), who was charged with seven runs - four earned - on 10 hits over four innings of work.

The Whitecaps continue their final home series of the first half at Fifth Third Ballpark with the second game of a three-game set against the Lake County Captains at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 16. West Michigan will send all-star LHP Giovanni Soto (4-4, 2.37) to the mound against RHP Austin Adams (2-3, 3.72) of the Captains. Fans will be treated to the popular entertainment of Breakin' BBoy McCoy, the breakdancing bat boy, as well as a special Wednesday edition of post-game fireworks presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. It will also be AT&T Night at the ballpark and a Wellness Wednesday presented by Priority Health. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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SOTO'S THREE-HIT SHUTOUT SNAPS LOSING STREAK
06/16/2010 9:46 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Giovanni Soto twirled a complete game three-hit shutout on Wednesday night at Fifth Third Ballpark as the West Michigan Whitecaps snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 1-0 win over the Lake County Captains.

Soto's gem came on a night in which the crowd was already buzzing after the Whitecaps welcomed the seven millionth fan through the gates since opening their doors in 1994. Ten-year-old Lauren Schaltz from Hudsonville was the lucky fan, winning a laundry list of prizes highlighted by two round-trip tickets on AirTran Airways, a flat-screen LCD TV, a Nintendo Wii, a package of Tigers and Whitecaps tickets, autographed baseballs and a host of other goodies.

Meanwhile, Soto's performance puts West Michigan (24-41) in a position to win the series against first-place Lake County (41-24) in their final home game of the first half on Thursday.

Soto joined Trevor Feeney as the only Whitecaps to throw a nine-inning complete game in 2010, but the 19-year-old all-star from Puerto Rico becomes the first to do so without allowing a run.

Soto (5-4) allowed just three singles, two of which were of the infield variety while the third was a liner that popped in and out of the glove of a leaping Hernan Perez at shortstop. He issued one walk, retiring 26 of the Captains' 30 batters and facing just three over the minimum. Soto threw only 98 pitches and struck out seven, inducing awkward contact and easy outs all night long. In the process, the crafty southpaw lowered his ERA to a sparkling 2.05 through his first 12 starts of the season.

Meanwhile, the Whitecaps took advantage of a defensive misplay to score the only run of the night. Michael Rockett led off the third by stinging a liner to center that caused Delvi Cid to charge in, but the ball sailed over the outfielder's head and bounced all the way to the wall. Rockett ended up with a triple, and later in the frame Jamie Johnson's RBI-single gave West Michigan the 1-0 lead.

While Soto stole the show, Lake County also pitched a three-hitter between starter Austin Adams and reliever Nick Sarianides.

The hard-throwing Adams (2-4) struck out seven while allowing just one run on three hits and one walk in five innings of work. Sarianides followed by retiring all nine batters he faced with three perfect frames out of the bullpen.

The Whitecaps conclude the home portion of their first-half schedule at Fifth Third Ballpark with the finale of a three-game set against the Lake County Captains at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 17. West Michigan will send RHP Ramon Lebron (4-4, 7.08) to the mound against RHP Clayton Cook (2-4, 4.50) of the Captains. Fans will be treated to $2 food and beverage specials on an Altogas Thrifty Thursday as well as a special post-game concert by "Oracle" on Led Zeppelin Night. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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GULLIVER'S WALK-OFF CAPS ANOTHER 1-0 WIN
06/17/2010 11:53 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Something about a homestand finale seems to get the West Michigan Whitecaps up for a dramatic finish.

On Thursday night at Fifth Third Ballpark, the Whitecaps wrapped up the home portion of their first-half schedule with a 1-0 win over the Lake County Captains that was capped by Jimmy Gulliver's walk-off double with two outs in the bottom of the 11th.

The dramatic victory came just 10 days after Alexis Espinoza closed out their previous homestand with a walk-off home run in extra innings. Thursday's win gave West Michigan (25-41) two of the three games in the series, knocking Lake County (25-41) out of first place for the first time this half and dealing a serious blow to the Captains' quest for a divisional title.

Despite a pair of dramatic plays at the plate earlier in the evening, the game was scoreless heading into the bottom of the 10th inning. Jordan Lennerton started the decisive rally with a one-out single and pinch runner Avisail Garcia promptly stole second base. After Espinoza struck out, Captains reliever Preston Guilmet intentionally walked Tony Plagman. With two outs and runners at first and second, Gulliver worked the count full before smacking the game-winning double into the gap in left-center to send the crowd into pandemonium with the 1-0 walk-off victory.

Kenny Faulk (3-2) earned the win out of the bullpen, tossing a scoreless top of the 11th and notching a crucial strikeout to strand two runners on base. That capped a combined three-hit shutout that also featured five scoreless frames from starter Ramon Lebron, two hitless innings from Richard Zumaya in his Whitecaps debut, and three pressure-packed, hitless frames from Nathan Newman.

The performance was the second consecutive three-hit shutout by West Michigan against Lake County.

Guilmet (0-1) suffered the loss for the Captains, allowing one run on three hits in 1.2 innings.

Before reaching extra frames, both teams were denied scoring opportunities on well-defended plays at the plate.

In the bottom of the second inning, the Whitecaps' Luis Sanz tried to score from second base on a two-out single by Jamie Johnson. Left-fielder Bo Greenwell fired a bullet to the plate, and catcher Chun Chen withstood a vicious collision and held onto the ball to retire Sanz and end the inning.

In the top of the eighth Lake County mounted a threat. Casey Frawley was at third when Chen drove a one-out fly ball towards right field, but Alexis Espinoza was able to make the catch on the run towards the foul line. As Frawley tagged and raced home, Espinoza squared to the plate and fired a strike to the catcher Sanz that preserved the scoreless tie.

The Whitecaps finish the first half of the 2010 season with a road series against the Bowling Green Hot Rods. The opener of the three-game set will be at 8:05 ET on Friday night, with top prospect and all-star RHP Jacob Turner (1-3, 3.72) scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Wilking Rodriguez (4-4, 3.84) of the Hot Rods. After the all-star break the 'Caps will return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Friday, June 25, kicking off the second half with a Tigers Friday featuring appearances and autographs from former Detroit Tigers Juan Berenguer and Ozzie Virgil, as well as a t-shirt giveaway for the first 1,000 fans through the gates. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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GAYNOR DRIVES IN FOUR AS 'CAPS WIN THIRD STRAIGHT
06/19/2010 12:22 AM ET

BOWLING GREEN, KY - Apparently, playing baseball in the state of Kentucky agrees with Wade Gaynor.

Returning to the state where he grew up and the city where he starred collegiately, Gaynor finished a double shy of the cycle and had a hand in all six of his team's runs as the West Michigan Whitecaps knocked off the Bowling Green Hot Rods, 6-2, on Friday night at Bowling Green Ballpark.

West Michigan (26-41) won their third straight game as Gaynor went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and four driven in to take the opener of the three-game set against Bowling Green (29-38).

The Whitecaps jumped on Hot Rods' starter Wilking Rodriguez from the outset. Jamie Johnson led off the ballgame by splitting the gap in left-center with an opposite-field double. After he advanced to third on a bunt, Gaynor lined an off-speed pitch into right-center for a run-scoring single. Gaynor moved to second on a groundout and scored on Avisail Garcia's two-out double for an early 2-0 lead.

Two innings later, Gaynor was at it again. Moments after Hernan Perez was hit by a pitch, the Western Kentucky product turned on the very next offering and drove a laser over the left field fence for a two-run homer. Gaynor's team-leading seventh homer of the year - and fourth in his last eight games - extended the 'Caps lead to 4-0.

In the fifth inning, Gaynor and the Whitecaps continued to build their lead. With one out, Perez hit a deep fly ball to center that was bobbled and dropped by Chris Murrill as he raced back to the wall. Gaynor followed by stroking a fastball into the gap in left-center and racing around the bases for an RBI-triple. When Jordan Lennerton singled through a drawn-in infield on the next pitch, West Michigan had a comfortable 6-0 advantage.

That was enough to help Jacob Turner (2-3) to his second professional win. The righty scattered seven hits over 5.2 innings, allowing two runs while fanning two and walking one.

Bowling Green managed to scratch across both of their runs during the end of Turner's outing. Mark Thomas led off the fifth with a double to the wall and scored on an infield single by Mayo Acosta. In the sixth, Tyler Bortnick led off with a line drive towards the left field corner 318 feet away, narrowly sneaking it over the wall to pull the Hot Rods to within 6-2.

Zach Samuels (1) made sure Bowling Green never got any closer. The reliever came in for Turner in the sixth and twirled 3.1 hitless innings out of the bullpen for his first save as a professional.

After throwing back-to-back shutouts on Wednesday and Thursday, the Whitecaps pitching staff ran their scoreless innings streak to 24 on Friday night before finally allowing a run in the fifth. Over the last three ballgames, West Michigan has allowed just two runs and 13 hits in 29 impressive innings of work.

Rodriguez (4-5) suffered the loss for Bowling Green after getting knocked around for six runs - five earned - on eight hits over six innings of work.

The Whitecaps wind down the first half of the 2010 season with a road series against the Bowling Green Hot Rods. The second game of the three-game set will be at 8:05 ET on Saturday night, with LHP Jade Todd (0-8, 5.14) scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Kirby Yates (1-2, 2.00) of the Hot Rods. After the all-star break the 'Caps will return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Friday, June 25, kicking off the second half with a Tigers Friday featuring appearances and autographs from former Detroit Tigers Juan Berenguer and Ozzie Virgil, as well as a t-shirt giveaway for the first 1,000 fans through the gates. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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WHITECAPS GO DOWN QUIETLY TO END HALF

06/20/2010 6:24 PM ET

BOWLING GREEN, KY - The West Michigan Whitecaps could not get anything going against Bowling Green Hot Rods' starter Kyle Lobstein on Sunday afternoon, losing 2-0 in the final game of the first half at Bowling Green Ballpark.

West Michigan (26-43) finished the first half of the season with their worst end-of-half record in franchise history after dropping two of three to Bowling Green (31-38) over the weekend.

Sunday's game was dominated by Lobstein (4-3), who was stifling over seven shutout innings and limited the Whitecaps to just four hits. All four were singles and two of the hits never left the infield. The 20-year-old southpaw struck out five batters while issuing one walk and improved to 3-0 with a 1.09 ERA in the month of June.

The Hot Rods broke onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the second with a solo homer by Brett Nommensen that curled inside the right field foul pole. Two innings later, a leadoff double by Tyler Bortnick turned into a run when Mayo Acosta delivered a run-scoring double with two outs for a 2-0 lead.

That was all the scoring in the game. After Lobstein's seven impressive innings, Alex Koronis and Scott Shuman completed the combined five-hit shutout. Each reliever threw one scoreless frame, with Shuman notching his ninth save of the year.

The loss went to Trevor Feeney (6-6) despite a solid outing. The Whitecaps' workhorse was charged with two runs on four hits in five innings of work, striking out five without issuing one walk. Feeney heads into the All-Star break with a league-high 95.1 innings pitched and an impressive 76:11 strikeout-to-walk ratio to go along with his sturdy 3.59 ERA.

While RHP Jacob Turner and LHP Giovanni Soto head to Fort Wayne to participate in the festivities surrounding the Midwest League All-Star Game on Tuesday, the rest of the Whitecaps will be off for the next four days. Following the All-Star break, the 'Caps kick off the second half at Fifth Third Ballpark on Friday, June 25, with a Tigers Friday featuring appearances and autographs from former Detroit Tigers Juan Berenguer and Ozzie Virgil, as well as a t-shirt giveaway for the first 1,000 fans through the gates. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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'CAPS STRAND 10, DROP SECOND-HALF OPENER
06/25/2010 10:16 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps began play with a clean slate on Friday night, but stranded 10 runners in a 2-1 loss to the Lake County Captains in the first game of the second half at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (0-1, 26-44) got solid pitching and collected 10 hits to the Captains' seven, but went just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position as Lake County (1-0, 45-25) improved on the best record in the Midwest League.

The Whitecaps got six strong innings from Giovanni Soto (5-5), who allowed one earned run (two total) on four hits over six innings and struck out six without issuing a walk. Zach Samuels followed with two shutout frames out of the bullpen while Kenny Faulk pitched in with a scoreless ninth.

West Michigan could not get the big hit, though, stranding at least one man on base in seven of their nine offensive innings.

Their best chance came in the eighth inning. Trailing 2-1 with men at second and third and nobody out, Tony Plagman and Michael Rockett were each retired on shallow pop outs. After a walk loaded the bases, Hernan Perez bounced out to end the threat.

Lake County took the lead in the top of the fourth thanks to a pair of Whitecaps errors. Shortstop Hernan Perez committed a fielding error on a groundball near second with one out and third baseman Wade Gaynor made an errant throw with two away. Moments later, Jeremie Tice bounced a 1-2 curveball up the middle for an RBI-single and a 1-0 lead.

Lake County added a key insurance run in the sixth, when Delvi Cid smacked a leadoff triple and scored on a single by Casey Frawley for a 2-0 advantage.

The Whitecaps scored their only run in the bottom of the seventh. Newcomer Clay Jones, the Tigers' 32nd-round pick in the 2010 draft, yanked a leadoff double to left as part of a 2-for-3 night in his professional debut. After moving to third on a single by Perez, Jimmy Gulliver delivered a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Clayton Cook (3-4) earned the win for the Captains, striking out six without issuing a walk and allowing five hits in five scoreless innings.

The Whitecaps continue the first series of the second half at Fifth Third Ballpark with a 7:00 p.m. first pitch on Saturday, June 26. RHP Trevor Feeney (6-6, 3.59) is scheduled to start for West Michigan against LHP Matt Packer (5-3, 2.19) of the Lake County Captains. The first 1,000 fans will receive seat cushions thanks to Assurant Health and everybody will enjoy post-game fireworks presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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PACKER SPINS GEM, SHUTS OUT WHITECAPS
06/26/2010 10:12 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps went down quietly for a second straight night on Saturday, falling to the Lake County Captains by a 5-0 score in front of a crowd of 8,147 at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (0-2, 26-45) has managed just one run through the first two games of the second half, thanks in part to a dominant effort by Lake County (2-0, 46-25) starter Matt Packer on Saturday.

Packer (6-3) was brilliant throughout the evening, setting career highs with nine strikeouts over eight innings to lead the Captains to a six-hit shutout in just his seventh career start. The 22-year-old lefty allowed five hits, two of which were infield singles. None of the 24 outs Packer recorded left the infield, as three line drive singles marked the only time the Whitecaps put the ball into the outfield. The 32nd-round pick out of the University of Virginia in 2009 induced 13 outs on the ground, struck out nine, and recorded a pair of line-outs to cruise through his eight frames on just 87 pitches.

Whitecaps' starter Trevor Feeney (6-7) was also strong despite taking the loss. The 24-year-old out of Northern Illinois tossed six solid frames for his team-leading 10th quality start, becoming the first Midwest Leaguer to log more than 100 innings in the process. Feeney scattered eight hits but allowed just one run, striking out five and walking one.

Lake County's only run against Feeney came in the fourth. Jeremie Tice led off the frame with a double and advanced to third on a groundout, but Feeney retired the next batter on a bounce-out to short with the infield in that forced the runner to hold. Nearly out of the jam, Adam Abraham delivered a double down the third base line to plate Tice for a 1-0 edge.

It was still just a one-run game in the fifth when West Michigan mounted their only threat against Packer. Consecutive one-out singles and a hit batsman loaded the bases, marking the only time the Whitecaps advanced runners into scoring position. With a chance to tie the score Jamie Johnson hit a ball hard up the middle, but Packer snared the one-hopper and started a 1-2-3 double play to end the threat.

The Captains did the rest of the damage against the Whitecaps' bullpen. Jason Smit smacked a solo homer against Victor Larez in the seventh and a pair of errors in the eighth inning helped Lake County to two more runs. In the ninth, Richard Zumaya was touched for his first run allowed since joining West Michigan when Roberto Perez capped a 4-for-5 night with a two-out RBI-double that pushed the Captains' lead to 5-0.

The Whitecaps continue the first series of the second half at Fifth Third Ballpark with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch on Sunday, June 27. RHP Ramon Lebron (4-4, 6.31) is scheduled to start for West Michigan against RHP Brett Brach (0-3, 4.03) of the Lake County Captains. The first 1,500 fans through the gates will receive a Team Photo courtesy of Holiday Inn Express. There will also be an appearance from Super Why, presented by WGVU, on a Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Day. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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WHITECAPS SHUT OUT AGAIN, SWEPT BY CAPTAINS
06/27/2010 6:50 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps were shut out for the second straight day on Sunday, sitting through a rain delay of nearly two-and-a-half hours before losing to the Lake County Captains, 8-0, to complete a three-game sweep at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (0-3, 26-46) managed just one run during the sweep and has scored only 11 runs in their last eight games, unable to take advantage of a stellar 2.23 staff ERA over that time. Adam Abraham was the star of the show for Lake County (3-0, 47-25) on Sunday, as the former University of Michigan standout went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI.

Whitecaps starter Ramon Lebron initially looked strong, tossing a scoreless first inning and striking out the first two batters in the second. Things quickly unraveled from there.

After issuing a two-out walk, Lebron went to three-ball counts to each of the next two batters. Both men singled, including a run-scoring hit by Trent Baker. The very next pitch to Abraham was hammered over the left field fence for a three-run homer as the Captains quickly grabbed a commanding 4-0 lead.

Lake County cruised from there. After adding an unearned run in the third, Abraham continued his big day with a two-out run-scoring double in the sixth that stretched the advantage to 6-0. In the ninth, new Whitecaps reliever Miguel Mejia walked in a pair of runs to cap the scoring and give the Captains an 8-0 win.

Brett Brach (1-3) picked up his first win of the year for Lake County, throwing six steady innings of scoreless baseball. He allowed six hits - five of which were singles - while striking out five without issuing a walk.

When Brach was finished, Tyler Sturdevant (1) took over and added five more punch-outs over three innings of one-hit ball to complete Lake County's combined six-hit shutout.

Lebron (4-5) suffered the loss for West Michigan, lasting just 1.2 innings and allowing four runs on three hits and three walks.

The Whitecaps begin a six-game road trip with a 7:00 p.m. first pitch on Monday, June 28, in South Bend. RHP Nathan Newman (0-2, 3.92) is scheduled to start for West Michigan against RHP Eric Smith (5-3, 2.74) of the Silver Hawks. The 'Caps will return to Fifth Third Ballpark in style next weekend with a Fourth of July celebration against Dayton that will feature exhilarating fireworks presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. The Sunday, July 4, contest will also be a Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Day while the first 1,000 fans will receive t-shirts thanks to Bissell. Season, group and individual tickets can be reserved by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting whitecapsbaseball.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.