2010 West Michigan Whitecaps Season Tracker

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SCORELESS STRETCH CONTINUES WITH 1-0 LOSS
06/28/2010 10:48 PM ET

SOUTH BEND, IN - The West Michigan Whitecaps were shut out for a third consecutive game with a 1-0 loss to the South Bend Silver Hawks on Monday night at Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium.

West Michigan (0-4, 26-47) has gone 29 straight innings without scoring a run, outscored 16-1 in four straight losses to start the second half. The Whitecaps continued a trend of exceptional pitching, but South Bend (2-1, 32-39) scored the only run of the night on a bloop-single in the second.

Nathan Newman (0-3) and Zach Samuels combined on a five-hitter. Making his first start of the year, Newman tossed four strong innings and allowing one run on three hits while fanning four and walking one. Samuels was also impressive, retiring 12 of the 14 batters he faced and striking out four over four shutout innings of two-hit ball.

Over their last nine games the Whitecaps pitching staff has posted a 2.12 ERA, but the offense has scuffled to an average of just 1.2 runs per game.

On Monday, West Michigan could not take advantage of nine hits and five walks, stranding 11 runners - including nine in scoring position - and bouncing into a pair of double plays.

Meanwhile, the Silver Hawks scored the game's lone run in the bottom of the second.

Ramon Castillo reached base on a one-out single and advanced all the way third when Newman snapped off two consecutive wild pitches with Alberto Diaz at the plate. That forced the infield in with the runner at third and just one out. Newman jammed Diaz on the next offering, but Diaz managed to bloop it over the drawn-in infield for a run-scoring single to shallow center.

Diogenes Rosario (4-2) earned the win for South Bend, allowing five hits and walking four but throwing five scoreless innings.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game road trip at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 29, with game two of a three-game series in South Bend. LHP Jade Todd (0-8, 5.14) 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 next weekend with a Fourth of July celebration against Dayton that will feature an exhilarating fireworks presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. The Sunday, July 4, contest will also be a Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Day and 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.

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WHITECAPS SNAP SCORELESS STREAK BUT LOSE IN EXTRAS
06/29/2010 4:38 PM ET

SOUTH BEND, IN - The West Michigan Whitecaps got excellent pitching and finally pushed across a run to snap a lengthy scoreless streak, but still ended up on the wrong end of a 2-1, 10-inning loss to the South Bend Silver Hawks on Tuesday afternoon at Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium.

West Michigan (0-5, 26-48) ended a 34 inning scoreless streak with a game-tying run in the sixth, but issued a walk-off walk in tying a season-high seven-game losing streak. The Whitecaps have been outscored 18-2 and have yet to hold a lead in five losses since the All-Star break, and will need a win against South Bend (3-1, 33-39) on Wednesday night to avoid a second consecutive sweep.

The 'Caps pitching staff continued to perform at a high level in spite of a short start by Jade Todd, who was forced out of the game due to an apparent injury after just three pitches. Four relievers combined to throw 9.1 innings while allowing just two runs, led by five strong frames from Victor Larez immediately after Todd's removal.

Over their last 10 games, the West Michigan pitching staff has posted a 2.09 ERA. During that same time period, the offense has mustered just 1.2 runs per game.

On Tuesday, the South Bend pitching staff was even stronger, racking up 16 strikeouts and holding the 'Caps to one run on four singles.

The game was scoreless until South Bend broke through in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Victor Estevez was running on a pitch that Keon Broxton ripped down the left field line. Estevez scored all the way from first on the double for a 1-0 lead.

One pitch later, David Nick threatened to add to the advantage with a liner up the middle. Center fielder Jamie Johnson charged in to field the single and fired to the plate, gunning down Broxton to hold the deficit at one.

Moments later, Johnson came through with another big play. Chris Sedon led off the top of the sixth with a clean single to center and advanced to second base on a hit by Luis Sanz. After Johnson failed to bunt the runners along, he took a full swing at a 3-2 pitch and bounced a single through the middle to score Sedon and tie the game at 1-1.

That was all the scoring until the contest stretched into extra innings.

After retiring the first seven batters he faced, Whitecaps reliever Kenny Faulk gave up an infield single to Broxton with one out in the 10th. Nick then singled through the hole on the right side to chase Faulk from the game. Richard Zumaya came in and registered a huge strikeout against the dangerous Bobby Borchering for the second out, but promptly walked Matt Davidson to load the bases. With the bags packed, two away, and the game on the line, Zumaya followed with four straight balls to walk Ramon Castillo and force in the game-winning run as the Silver Hawks celebrated a 2-1 victory.

Faulk (3-4) was charged with the loss while Adam Worthington (1-1), who threw a perfect top of the 10th, was credited with the win.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game road trip at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 30, with the finale of a three-game series in South Bend. LHP Giovanni Soto (5-5, 2.00) is scheduled to start for West Michigan against RHP Randy Rodriguez (0-1, 3.79) of the Silver Hawks. The 'Caps will return to Fifth Third Ballpark next weekend with a Fourth of July celebration against Dayton that will feature an exhilarating fireworks presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. The Sunday, July 4, contest will also be a Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Day and 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.

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'CAPS BREAK OUT OF FUNK WITH 15-3 ROUT
07/01/2010 12:20 AM ET

SOUTH BEND, IN - The West Michigan Whitecaps entered play in a deep offensive funk on Wednesday night, but exploded to set season-highs for runs, hits and margin of victory during a 15-3 blowout win over the South Bend Silver Hawks at Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium.

After scoring just two runs in their previous six games, West Michigan (1-5, 27-48) scored three times before an out was recorded on their way to a six-run first inning Wednesday night. In avoiding a three-game sweep against South Bend (3-2, 33-40), the Whitecaps pounded out a season-high 18 hits as all nine starters scored runs and eight of the nine recorded multi-hit games and picked up an RBI.

From the opening frame, the Whitecaps looked nothing like a team that entered play the lowest scoring in the Midwest League.

Jamie Johnson started the first-inning rally with a leadoff single, and a walk and an error helped load the bases with nobody out. The Whitecaps followed with station-to-station baseball as three consecutive singles from 2010 draftees Tony Plagman, Robert Brantly and Clay Jones drove in a run each. Michael Rockett, batting seventh in the order, brought home a fourth run with a fielder's choice groundout that marked the first out of the game. Jimmy Gulliver added an RBI-single and Hernan Perez capped the rally with a run-scoring groundout, as West Michigan sent 11 men to the plate and took a 6-0 lead.

That was just the tip of the iceberg.

In the third inning, Jeff Rowland singled home a run in his Midwest League debut and Wade Gaynor followed with a two-run single. The Silver Hawks countered with three runs in the bottom of the frame, but the Whitecaps went back to work in the fifth. Rowland checked in with another RBI-single and a wild pitch with the bases loaded pushed the Whitecaps lead to 11-3.

With the rout underway, the Silver Hawks opted to throw the final two innings with a pair of infielders on the mound. They began the night with spot starter Randy Rodriguez (0-2), who got knocked around for six runs - four earned - on five hits and lasted just two-thirds of an inning. After three other relievers took their turns, second baseman David Narodowski came in to pitch the eighth.

In the ninth, Narodowski swapped positions with shortstop Victor Estevez who took the mound. After retiring the first two batters he faced, Estevez hit a man and issued a walk to propel the 'Caps to another rally. Robert Brantly promptly doubled home both runners for West Michigan's first extra-base hit of the night, and Clay Jones followed with a mammoth two-run homer - the first of his pro career - to make it a 15-3 game.

Silver Hawks Manager Mark Haley then sent Estevez back to shortstop and brought Narodowski back to the hill for the final out of the game.

Richard Zumaya (1-0) earned the win for West Michigan with 3.1 innings of scoreless relief after starter Giovanni Soto was removed due to an apparent arm injury in the third inning.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game road trip at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 1, with the opener of a three-game series in Lake County. RHP Trevor Feeney (6-7, 3.46) is scheduled to start for West Michigan against LHP Matt Packer (6-3, 1.88) of the Captains. The 'Caps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Sunday, July 4, with an Independence Day celebration against Dayton that will feature an exhilarating fireworks display presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. The contest will also be a Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Day and 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 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 WIN THIRD STRAIGHT WITH TWO-HIT SHUTOUT
07/02/2010 10:13 PM ET

EASTLAKE, OH - The West Michigan Whitecaps won another nail-biter on Friday night, pitching a combined two-hit shutout and riding Chris Sedon's solo home run to a 1-0 victory over the Lake County Captains at Classic Park.

West Michigan (3-5, 29-48) picked up their third consecutive victory after opening the half with five straight losses, suddenly finding themselves in a position to sweep the three-game series against Lake County (4-4, 48-29), who posted the best record in the Midwest League during the first half of the season.

The Whitecaps pitching staff has posted a stellar 1.92 ERA in their last 13 games despite a starting rotation that has been decimated by promotions, demotions and injury. Lefty Jared Wesson was tabbed to fill the rotation spot vacated by the demoted Ramon Lebron, and responded by leading a quartet of West Michigan hurlers in a two-hit shutout on Friday.

Wesson struck out six over 3.1 innings before reaching his pitch count, holding the Captains to two hits and walking two. After Lake County registered back-to-back singles with one out in the second, the 24-year-old out of Mississippi State punched out the next two batters to end the threat. Those turned out to be the only hits of the night for the Captains, who did not advance a runner into scoring position the rest of the way.

Miguel Mejia (1-0) relieved Wesson in the fourth and proceeded to retired all 11 batters he faced, earning the win with 3.2 perfect innings. Matt Little shrugged off a two-out walk on his way to throwing a scoreless eighth inning, and Kenny Faulk (4) worked around a two-out error in the bottom of the ninth to lock down the save.

The only run of the night scored in the top of the third, when Sedon launched a leadoff homer for the second game in a row. Using the same power that led to a school-record 22 home runs at the University of Pittsburgh in 2009, the 22-year-old second baseman took an 0-2 pitch and drove it the other way, clearing the right field fence for a 1-0 lead.

That doomed Brett Brach (1-4) to the loss despite a solid outing. Brach only gave up three hits in five innings, but the homer by Sedon was enough to propel the Whitecaps to victory.

The Whitecaps wrap up a six-game road trip at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 3, with the finale of a three-game series in Lake County. RHP Nathan Newman (0-3, 3.77) is scheduled to start for West Michigan against LHP Vidal Nuno (2-2, 6.51) of the Captains. The 'Caps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Sunday, July 4, with an Independence Day celebration against Dayton that will feature an exhilarating fireworks display presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. The contest will also be a Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Day and 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 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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FIVE-RUN FIRST INNING PREVENTS WHITECAPS SWEEP
07/03/2010 10:34 PM ET

EASTLAKE, OH - The West Michigan Whitecaps fell behind early and never recovered on Saturday night, serving up five runs in the first inning of a 7-0 loss to the Lake County Captains at Classic Park.

West Michigan (3-6, 29-49) still managed to win two out of three games in the series, but missed out on the opportunity for a series sweep and a four-game winning streak for the first time this season. Lake County (5-4, 49-29) thwarted those plans quickly with a five-run outburst in the bottom of the first.

Jason Smit singled with one away to start the rally, advancing to second on a stolen base and third on a wild pitch. After a two-out walk to Adam Abraham, Kyle Smith started the scoring with a line-drive single to center that plated Smit. The next batter delivered the big blow, however, as Roberto Perez took a 2-0 pitch and blasted an opposite-field, three-run homer to right. Chris Kersten added a single and scored on a double by Ben Carlson, staking Lake County to a 5-0 lead thanks to five two-out runs.

That margin remained until a key error helped the Captains add two more runs in the sixth. Whitecaps' shortstop Hernan Perez ranged to his left to field a one-hop liner behind second base, but his throw to first pulled Clay Jones off the bag as Roberto Perez reached on the leadoff error. One out later, Carlson yanked a triple down the right field line that rolled to the corner and scored Perez. Later in the frame, Delvi Cid smacked a run-scoring double that split the gap in left-center for a 7-0 advantage.

Vidal Nuno (3-2) earned the win for Lake County with five strong innings. He allowed just two singles and no runs, striking out five and walking one. Only one baserunner reached scoring position against him, occurring as the result of a two-out error in the fifth.

Whitecaps' starter Nathan Newman (0-4) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on five hits - all in the first - over four innings of work.

The Whitecaps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Sunday, July 4, with a 7:00 p.m. Independence Day celebration against Dayton that will feature an exhilarating fireworks display presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. The contest will also be a Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Day and the first 1,000 fans will receive t-shirts thanks to Bissell. RHP Victor Larez (4-6, 5.12) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Ricky Bowen (1-2, 4.76) of the Dragons. 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 FALL SHORT OF INDEPENDENCE DAY COMEBACK
07/04/2010 10:31 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps returned home to a Fourth of July celebration on Sunday night, but a late rally fell short in a 6-4 loss to the Dayton Dragons before a boisterous crowd of 8,070 at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (3-7, 29-50) fell behind early and spent the rest of the evening trying to claw their way back into the game, ultimately being undone by a pair of unearned runs in the eighth that proved to be the difference for Dayton (2-8, 32-47).

The Dragons struck the game's first blow in the opening frame, when Chris Richburg bashed a two-run homer to center field. Jimmy Gulliver's RBI-single in the bottom of the third cut the lead in half, but Dayton's Mark Fleury answered with a two-run double in the fourth to push the Dragons' lead to 4-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, West Michigan's Tony Plagman pulled a solo homer down the right field line to pull the 'Caps to within 4-2.

That was the score in the eighth, when a costly error helped Dayton add two key insurance runs. With Josh Garton at second and one away, Fleury drilled a ball to right that Avisail Garcia had to play off the wall. Garton initially held at second before seeing the ball drop, and the relay throws to the plate from Garcia and second baseman Chris Sedon reached catcher Rob Brantly well ahead of the runner. But Garton lowered his shoulder and plowed right through Brantly, knocking the ball loose to score the run. Brantly was charged with an error, and Cristobal Rodriguez followed with a sacrifice fly that made it a 6-2 ballgame.

In spite of the deficit, the Whitecaps continued to rally.

Clay Jones singled home Plagman to cut the margin to 6-3 in the eighth, while Jamie Johnson and Wade Gaynor each drew ninth-inning walks to spark a rally in the final frame. Garcia ripped a base hit to left with two outs to drive home Johnson, pulling the 'Caps within 6-4 and placing the potential game-tying run on base. But with the game on the line, Plagman flew out to right field as the comeback ran out of steam.

Ricky Bowen (2-2) earned the win for the Dragons, allowing two runs on seven hits over five innings. The loss went to Victor Larez, who was touched for four runs - three earned - on nine hits over five frames.

The Whitecaps continue an Independence Day series at Fifth Third Ballpark on Monday, July 5, with a 7:00 p.m. ballgame against the Dayton Dragons. RHP Luis Sanz (0-2, 4.97) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Tim Crabbe (1-1, 2.70) of the Dragons. Fans that bring a community or church bulletin to the ballpark will receive half-price box and reserved seats thanks to an All Faiths Night presented by JQ 99 FM. 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, SANZ BROTHERS FALL TO DAYTON
07/05/2010 10:23 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps nearly overcame a four-run deficit on Monday night, putting the potential game-tying run on base in the ninth inning before falling by a 6-5 score to the Dayton Dragons at Fifth Third Ballpark.

Wade Gaynor had a huge 3-for-4 night that included a triple, a home run, and four RBI, nearly single-handedly leading the West Michigan (3-8, 29-51) comeback effort against Dayton (3-8, 33-47).

Gaynor's big day started early with a solo homer in the first and a run-scoring single in the third that put the 'Caps ahead 2-0.

Dayton responded in the fourth as a three-run homer by Henry Rodriguez put the Dragons out in front. The visitors tacked on two more runs in the seventh and another in the eighth to stretch their lead to 6-2.

In the bottom of the eighth, Gaynor went back to work.

After a pair of walks opened the inning, the 22-year-old third baseman clubbed a 3-1 pitch to the base of the wall in center field, plating both runners with a one-out triple. The very next pitch squirted past the catcher, prompting Gaynor to race home and slide beneath the tag to bring West Michigan to within 6-5.

Unfortunately, that was as close as the 'Caps could get.

Hernan Perez singled with one out in the ninth to give West Michigan a chance, but Dayton closer Kevin Arico - the NCAA saves leader at the University of Virginia this spring - induced a pair of groundouts to end the game with his first professional save.

Tim Crabbe (2-1) earned the win for the Dragons, settling in after a shaky start to hold the Whitecaps to two runs over six innings.

Early on, the story of the night was a Whitecaps starting battery that featured a pair of siblings - pitcher Luis Angel Sanz and catcher Luis Alberto Sanz. It is unclear whether two brothers with the same first name have ever made up a starting battery in a professional baseball game before, but only 16 times at the major league level have two brothers ever worked in the same battery. On none of those occasions did the brothers share the same first name, with the most recent occurrence involving Larry and Norm Sherry of the 1962 Los Angeles Dodgers.

The elder Sanz (0-3), a 22-year-old pitcher, was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs on five hits in 6.2 innings of work. His younger brother, the 19-year-old Luis Alberto, went 1-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.

The Whitecaps wrap up an Independence Day series at Fifth Third Ballpark against the Dayton Dragons with a Noon start on Tuesday, July 6. RHP Trevor Feeney (7-7, 3.29) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP J.C. Sulbaran (3-4, 4.71) of the Dragons. The contest will feature all-you-can-eat food specials on a Fat Tuesday, and a Bob Evans Senior Day offers fans ages 50 and over half-price box and 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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WHITECAPS SWEPT WITH AFTERNOON LOSS
07/06/2010 3:43 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps were swept away by the Dayton Dragons with a 7-3 loss on Tuesday afternoon at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (3-9, 29-52) managed just five hits on Tuesday, dropping their fourth straight game in a sweltering afternoon affair that saw head indexes reach into the 90's. Dayton (4-8, 34-47) scored two runs in the first inning and never looked back, pounding out 15 hits on the day.

Cameron Satterwhite and Chris Richburg delivered consecutive run-scoring doubles in the top of the first to put the Dragons on the board. In the third, Ryan LaMarre manufactured another run. After reaching on an infield single, he stole two bases and scored on a groundout to give Dayton a 3-0 lead.

It turned out to be a big day for LaMarre, a second-round pick out of the University of Michigan in this summer's draft. He went on to a 4-for-5 game that included a double, four runs scored and three stolen bases.

The Whitecaps scratched across an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth, but Dayton responded with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to make it a 5-1 ballgame.

West Michigan showed signs of life in the bottom of the fifth. After Jeff Rowland coaxed a two-out walk, Michael Rockett drilled a 2-0 pitch for a two-run homer to left. Suddenly within a 5-3 deficit, the 'Caps were right back in the ballgame.

But Dayton added single runs in the sixth and eighth innings, while West Michigan went down quietly in a 7-3 loss.

J.C. Sulbaran (4-4, 4.50) earned the win with seven strong innings for the Dragons, allowing three runs - two earned - on three hits.

The loss went to Trevor Feeney (7-8), who was roughed up for five runs on 11 hits over five innings of work.

The Whitecaps hit the road for the first game of a three-game set against South Bend at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 7. LHP Jared Wesson (1-0, 1.40) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Brad Gemberling (2-5, 5.40) of the Silver Hawks. The 'Caps will return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Saturday, July 10, for a three-game series against the Lake County Captains that kicks off with a bucket hat giveaway presented by Sharkwater for the first 1,000 fans ages 21 and over, and post-game fireworks courtesy of 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 FALL IN 12, LOSE FIFTH STRAIGHT
07/07/2010 11:16 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps battled the South Bend Silver Hawks for a season-high 12 innings on Wednesday night, only to drop a fifth straight game in a 4-3 loss at Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium.

West Michigan (3-10, 29-53) out-hit South Bend (5-8, 35-46) in a game that was primarily dominated by pitching.

After five scoreless frames to open the ballgame, each team put three runs on the board in the sixth inning. The 3-3 deadlock remained until the bottom of the 12th, when the Silver Hawks started the decisive rally with two outs and the bases empty.

Whitecaps' reliever Shawn Teufel had retired the first eight batters he faced and nearly completed three perfect innings of work, but a close two-strike pitch with two outs was ruled a ball to Keon Broxton. The lanky left-hander ultimately walked Broxton, who advanced to third base on a hit-and-run single by David Nick. The next batter was Bobby Borchering, who lined a 2-2 pitch through the left side of the infield for a walk-off single and a 4-3 win.

Brian Budrow (3-2) earned the victory with three shutout innings for the Silver Hawks, while Teufel (0-1) was handed the loss.

When it was all said and done, 10 of the game's 12 innings featured scoreless baseball.

The Whitecaps were the first to break through in the top of the sixth. After consecutive singles by Jamie Johnson and Michael Rockett, Wade Gaynor blasted a double off the top of the right field wall that plated Johnson and advanced Rockett to third. Avisail Garcia followed with a groundball single past a drawn-in shortstop to bring home Rockett, and moments later Gaynor scored on a wild pitch for a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom half of the frame, the Silver Hawks answered.

Whitecaps starter Jared Wesson had cruised through the first five frames - retiring 15 of the 16 men he faced - but opened the bottom of the sixth with a pair of walks and a single before being removed with the bases loaded and nobody out. Reliever Miguel Mejia nearly worked his way out of the jam, but South Bend's Matt Davidson came through with a two-out triple that bounced off the top of the wall in center field and tied the game at 3-3.

Before the decisive rally, each team had scoring opportunities go by the wayside in regulation.

In the top of the ninth, West Michigan took advantage of an error and a bunt-single to place runners at the corners with nobody out. Silver Hawks' reliever Adam Worthington was up to the task, however, striking out the next three batters swinging to wiggle his way out of trouble.

South Bend had chances in the both the eighth and ninth innings, drawing four walks between the two frames. Kenny Faulk was able to squash both rallies, however, stranding the bases loaded with a groundout in the eighth before battling back from a 3-0 count to strike out Broxton with two men on in the ninth.

The Whitecaps are on the road for game two of a three-game set against South Bend at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 8. RHP Nathan Newman (0-4, 4.38) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Diogenes Rosario (4-3, 2.57) of the Silver Hawks. The 'Caps will return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Saturday, July 10, for a three-game series against the Lake County Captains that kicks off with a bucket hat giveaway presented by Sharkwater for the first 1,000 fans ages 21 and over, and post-game fireworks courtesy of 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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LATE COLLAPSE LEADS TO SIXTH STRAIGHT LOSS
07/08/2010 10:35 PM ET

SOUTH BEND, IN - The West Michigan Whitecaps controlled the action for seven and a half innings on Thursday night, but an eighth-inning collapse led to a sixth straight defeat and a 7-5 loss to the South Bend Silver Hawks at Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium.

West Michigan (3-11, 29-54) scored twice in the top of the first and led by scores of 4-0 after four innings and 5-1 in the middle of the eighth. The lead disappeared in the bottom of the eighth, however, as South Bend (6-8, 36-46) crossed the plate six times to turn a four-run deficit into a two-run lead.

With Richard Zumaya on the mound for the Whitecaps, the decisive rally began harmlessly enough with an infield single by Ender Inciarte before Keon Broxton reached on a slow roller that snuck through the right side. David Nick then drove a deep fly ball to the track in left that appeared to be caught on the run by Jamie Johnson, but the ball popped out of his glove and left the bases loaded with nobody out. Bobby Borchering followed with a two-run single that cut the Whitecaps' lead to 5-3, while a hit batsman reloaded the bases and chased Zumaya from the game.

Entering with the bags packed and nobody out, Matt Little induced a swinging bunt to the left side from Ramon Castillo. The pitcher raced over to barehand the loose ball, but wildly flipped it past the catcher as two more runs came home to tie the score. After an intentional walk loaded the bases again, Matt Helm - the eighth batter of the inning - flew out to center for the first out of the frame. But David Narodowski followed with a two-run single that snuck inside the bag at third at gave the Silver Hawks a 7-5 lead - their first of the night.

West Michigan got a pair of singles in the ninth, putting the potential game-tying run aboard with one out and moving him into scoring position with two away, but a Clay Jones groundout ended the night.

Braden Hagens (2-4) earned the win for South Bend with three innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen, while Yonata Ortega (17) worked a scoreless ninth for the save.

Zumaya (1-1) suffered the loss for the Whitecaps, charged with five runs - four earned - on four hits in 1.2 innings.

Prior to the stunning turn of events in the bottom of the eighth, West Michigan held a comfortable lead for nearly the entire night. In addition to a strong start from Nathan Newman, who allowed just one run on two hits over 5.1 innings, the Whitecaps jumped onto the scoreboard early with a rally in the top of the first inning.

Jeff Rowland reached on a one-out single and moved to third after a double by Wade Gaynor. Both runners were forced to hold when Avisail Garcia bounced out with the infield in, but Michael Rockett came through with a two-out, two-run knock to give West Michigan a 2-0 lead.

Catcher Rob Brantly sparked the 'Caps to two more runs in the second and fourth innings. A third-round pick out of UC-Riverside in the June draft, the 20-year-old drew a leadoff walk in the second and scored on a two-out double by Rowland. In the fourth, Brantly sparked things with a leadoff double before scoring on a groundout by Johnson for a 4-0 advantage.

South Bend scratched across their first run in the sixth inning, but West Michigan scored an insurance run in the top of the eighth. Rockett led off the frame with a single as part of a 3-for-5 night, eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly by Hernan Perez for a 5-1 advantage. As it turned out, the lead would not last long.

The Whitecaps wrap up a road series in South Bend with the final game of a three-game set at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 9. RHP Victor Larez (4-7, 5.14) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Eric Smith (5-4, 3.15) of the Silver Hawks. The 'Caps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Saturday, July 10, for a three-game series against the Lake County Captains that kicks off with a bucket hat giveaway presented by Sharkwater for the first 1,000 fans ages 21 and over, and post-game fireworks courtesy of Farm Bureau Insurance. 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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PLAGMAN POWERS 'CAPS TO 9-2 WIN
07/09/2010 10:46 PM ET

SOUTH BEND, IN - Something about getaway day in South Bend brings the best out of the West Michigan Whitecaps.

After closing out their last series at Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium with a 15-3 win on June 30, the West Michigan Whitecaps snapped a six-game losing streak and avoided a series sweep on Friday night with a 9-2 win over the South Bend Silver Hawks.

West Michigan (4-11, 30-54) got three RBI apiece from Tony Plagman and Wade Gaynor to power the offense, while table-setter Jamie Johnson reached base in four of his five trips to the plate. South Bend (6-9, 36-47) managed just five singles against a trio of Whitecaps hurlers that combined for 11 strikeouts.

For the third straight game, the Whitecaps reached the scoreboard first.

Plagman led off the top of the second by slicing a single down the left field line and Clay Jones followed with a walk. The runners were at the corners with one away when Hernan Perez lined a run-scoring single to right-center. Jimmy Gulliver added a sacrifice fly as West Michigan grabbed a 2-0 lead.

South Bend cut the lead in half on Bobby Borchering's two-run single in the third, but Gaynor countered with a two-out, run-scoring hit in the fifth that made it a 3-1 game.

Two innings later, the Whitecaps blew the game open.

Gulliver led off the top of the seventh with a single as West Michigan loaded the bases with nobody out, and the Eastern Michigan product scored on a fielder's choice by Gaynor. The big blow was delivered by Tony Plagman, who clubbed a three-run homer with two outs to provide the 'Caps with a six-run lead. Jones added a double and came around to score on a triple by Rob Brantly, as the Whitecaps' five-run inning put them in front by a comfortable 8-1 advantage.

In the eighth, Johnson doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Gaynor for a 9-1 edge. The Silver Hawks pushed across an unearned run in the bottom of the frame to reach the 9-2 final.

Victor Larez (5-7) earned the win with five strong innings of work, striking out seven and allowing one run on four hits. Jordan Pratt chipped in with two perfect innings of relief, while Zach Samuels gave up one hit and one unearned run over the final two frames.

Eric Smith (5-5) suffered the loss for South Bend with an uncharacteristically shaky outing. The Diamondbacks' second-round pick in 2009 was roughed up for six runs on five hits and five walks in 6.2 innings of work.

The Whitecaps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Saturday, July 10, to start a three-game series against the Lake County Captains with a bucket hat giveaway presented by Sharkwater for the first 1,000 fans ages 21 and over, and post-game fireworks courtesy of Farm Bureau Insurance. RHP Luis Angel Sanz (0-3, 5.34) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Clayton Cook (4-4, 3.51) of the Captains. 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 START HOMESTAND WITH A "W"
07/10/2010 10:10 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps picked up their second straight win with a 3-2 victory over the Lake County Captains in front of a crowd of 6,867 on Saturday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.

Middle-of-the-order hitters Wade Gaynor, Avisail Garcia and Tony Plagman each went 2-for-4 with an RBI to power the West Michigan (5-11, 31-54) offense, while the 'Caps pitching staff held Lake County (8-8, 52-33) without a hit after the fourth inning.

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, the Whitecaps rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame.

Jamie Johnson started the rally with a leadoff walk before stealing second and moving to third on a groundout. Gaynor tied the game with a line-drive single up the middle, while Plagman added an RBI-double to give West Michigan a 2-1 lead.

The Captains scratched across a run in the fourth, tying the score on a two-out double by Ben Carlson. As it turned out, that was the last hit the Whitecaps would allow.

West Michigan put together a two-out rally in the fifth to recapture the lead. Gaynor extended the inning with a double down the left field line and scored on a base hit by Garcia that dropped into center field for the decisive 3-2 margin.

Luis Angel Sanz (1-3) earned his first win of the season, gutting his way through five innings to hold the Captains to two runs on five hits. He struck out six and walked one. Sanz was able to limit the damage throughout his outing, striking out the side after the first two batters reached in the second inning and stranding five runners on the night.

The bullpen did the rest.

Shawn Teufel came in for the sixth and threw three hitless innings, striking out two while walking one and retiring nine of the 10 batters he faced. Kenny Faulk (5) finished things off with two punch-outs during a perfect ninth inning, including a swinging strikeout to end the game and send the crowd into a frenzy.

Clayton Cook (4-5) suffered the loss for Lake County after allowing three runs on six hits over five innings of work.

The Whitecaps continue a home series at Fifth Third Ballpark with a 1:00 p.m. start on Sunday, July 11, against the Lake County Captains. RHP Trevor Feeney (7-8, 3.54) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against LHP Matt Packer (6-4, 1.83) of the Captains. In addition to a Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Day, there will also be a special appearance from WordGirl courtesy of WGVU. 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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CAPTAINS BEAT WHITECAPS TO EVEN SERIES
07/11/2010 4:03 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps had their brief two-game winning streak snapped with a 4-1 loss to the Lake County Captains on Sunday afternoon at Fifth Third Ballpark.

Since West Michigan (5-12, 31-55) won the series opener on Saturday, the three-game set with Lake County (9-8, 53-33) will be decided in the rubber match on Monday night.

For the second game in a row the Captains jumped ahead with a run in the top of the first. Argenis Martinez was at first base when Chris Kersten clubbed a double to the wall in left-center, scoring the runner for a 1-0 lead.

Lake County never looked back, led by Kersten's 3-for-3 day that included two doubles and two RBI.

Meanwhile, Matt Packer (7-4) led a trio of Captains hurlers in a five-hitter, twirling six shutout innings and allowing just three singles. He struck out four and walked two while lowering his league-leading ERA to 1.68 and improving to 2-1 with a 0.46 ERA in three starts against the Whitecaps.

Slowly but surely, Lake County added their lead over the course of the afternoon.

Ben Carlson delivered a run-scoring single with two outs in the fourth to double the advantage, while Casey Frawley reached base on an error in the sixth and scored on a wild pitch for a 3-0 advantage. In the eighth inning, Delvi Cid led off with a base hit to right and came around on a two-out double by Kersten to build a 4-0 lead.

West Michigan avoided a shutout by scoring their lone run in the bottom of the ninth. With one away, Avisail Garcia took a 1-0 pitch and lifted it the other way for a solo home run. The 19-year-old's third bomb of the year pulled the Whitecaps to within 4-1.

Trevor Feeney (7-9) suffered the loss despite a solid outing. The righty was charged with three runs - two earned - on five hits over seven innings of work.

The Whitecaps wrap up a home series at Fifth Third Ballpark with a 7:00 p.m. start on Monday, July 12, against the Lake County Captains. LHP Jared Wesson (1-0, 2.22) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Brett Brach (1-4, 2.98) of the Captains. Fans will be treated to 10-cent hot dogs on Dime-A-Dog Night while a church or community bulletin is worth half-price box and reserved seats on a JQ 99 All Faiths 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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GAYNOR DRIVES IN FOUR AS 'CAPS TAKE SERIES
07/12/2010 11:02 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps came out swinging on Monday night, leading from wire-to-wire in an 11-6 win over the Lake County Captains in front of a well-fed crowd of 4,754 on Dime-A-Dog Night at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (6-12, 32-55) pounded out 14 hits, led by Wade Gaynor's 3-for-5 night that included four RBI as the Whitecaps won the rubber match of the three-game set against Lake County (9-9, 53-34).

West Michigan seized control early, jumping out to a 3-0 lead after two innings of play.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the first, Avisail Garcia grounded a two-run single up the middle to put the 'Caps on the scoreboard. One inning later, Hernan Perez delivered a sacrifice fly and West Michigan was off and running with a 3-0 lead.

The Captains scratched across a run in the top of the third, but the Whitecaps answered in the fourth with a two-out, two-run single by Gaynor that stretched the lead to 5-1.

In the fifth, the 'Caps crossed the plate six times to blow the game wide open.

Tony Plagman started the rally by clubbing a leadoff triple into the gap in right-center and later scored on a single by Clay Jones. With men at the corners and two outs, Lake County reliever Antwonie Hubbard issued three consecutive walks, two of which forced in runs. After a pitching change, Gaynor greeted the new hurler with another two-run single to right, while Plagman followed with a run-scoring double - his second extra-base hit of the inning - to give West Michigan a commanding 11-1 advantage.

That was plenty to spot Jared Wesson (2-0) the victory. The 24-year-old southpaw threw five strong innings and struck out a career-high eight batters while allowing just one run on three hits and two walks.

The Whitecaps bullpen was not nearly as sharp, issuing five walks in four innings. The Captains took advantage with three runs in the seventh and two in the ninth to reach the 11-6 final.

Lake County's Brett Brach (1-5) was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs on nine hits over four innings of work.

The Whitecaps hit the road for a six-game Western Division swing that begins with a three-game set in Clinton on Wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. ET. RHP Nathan Newman (0-4, 4.12) is set to take the hill for West Michigan against RHP Erasmo Ramirez (5-3, 2.80) of the LumberKings. The 'Caps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Wednesday, July 21, for a 7:00 p.m. game featuring Hand Fans for the first 2,500 fans thanks to DFCU Financial and post-game fireworks courtesy of 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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ERRORS, WALKS LEAD TO SLOPPY LOSS
07/14/2010 11:21 PM ET

CLINTON, IA - After a long drive west, the West Michigan Whitecaps lost the first game of a six-game road trip, 9-4, in a sloppy affair against the Clinton LumberKings on Wednesday night at Alliant Energy Field.

West Michigan (6-13, 32-56) committed three errors in the first three innings and issued four walks within the first five frames, helping Clinton (10-8, 47-40) establish a 5-1 lead on the strength of four unearned runs while three of the walks also came around to score.

The LumberKings jumped ahead early thanks to a key error in the bottom of the first. It was a fielding error charged to first baseman Tony Plagman that allowed Nick Franklin to reach base with one away, and Franklin reached scoring position moments later by stealing second. Later in the frame, Tim Morris grounded a two-out single up the middle to plate Franklin for the early 1-0 advantage.

The score was 2-0 when the Whitecaps made some noise in the top of the fourth. Clinton starter Erasmo Ramirez retired the first nine men he faced in order through the first three frames, but issued a walk to Jamie Johnson to open the fourth. One out later, newcomer Corey Jones delivered a run-scoring single in his second Midwest League at-bat since joining West Michigan earlier in the day. Wade Gaynor added a double that placed runners at second and third with just one away, but a strikeout and a groundout left them stranded and held the deficit at 2-1.

Shortly thereafter, Clinton pulled away.

In the bottom of the fourth, Whitecaps starter Nathan Newman walked the first two batters on just nine pitches. Gabriel Noriega then laid down a bunt that rolled right to a charging Plagman at first, but Plagman's throw to third was off the mark and skipped away towards the left field bullpen. Both runners scored and Noriega ended up at second. Franklin later delivered a sacrifice fly, capping a rally in which three unearned runs stretched the LumberKings' lead to 5-1.

In the fifth, Clinton took advantage of a leadoff walk to spark another rally. James Jones struck a triple to deep left-center that drove home a run, and Blake Ochoa followed with a sacrifice fly for a 7-1 advantage. Two innings later, Jones singled and Ochoa blasted a two-run homer as the lead swelled to 9-1 in the seventh.

Ramirez (6-3) earned the win for Clinton after limiting the Whitecaps to one run on three hits over six innings of work. He retired the side in order in four of his six frames and did not allow a baserunner until the fourth, notching four strikeouts along the way. While he entered play having issued just seven walks through 83.2 innings of work for a league-low average of 0.86 walks-per-nine innings, Ramirez issued three free passes on Wednesday - including a pair to Johnson, who is among the league leaders with 60 walks drawn.

West Michigan put up a fight in the ninth, stringing together three consecutive one-out singles that all came around to score for the 9-4 final.

Newman (0-5) took the loss for West Michigan after being charged with seven runs - three earned - on four hits and four walks with five strikeouts over 4.1 frames.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game Western Division swing with game two of a three-game set in Clinton on Thursday night at 8:00 p.m. ET. RHP Victor Larez (5-7, 4.90) is set to take the hill for West Michigan against RHP Nolan Gallagher (0-2, 3.72) of the LumberKings. The 'Caps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Wednesday, July 21, for a 7:00 p.m. game featuring Hand Fans for the first 2,500 fans thanks to DFCU Financial and post-game fireworks courtesy of 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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PLAGMAN, 'CAPS EXPLODE FOR 7-1 WIN
07/15/2010 11:37 PM ET

CLINTON, IA - The West Michigan Whitecaps pounded out 14 hits and roared back for seven unanswered runs in a 7-1 win over the Clinton LumberKings on Thursday night at Alliant Energy Field.

West Michigan (7-13, 33-56) got three-hit games from Corey Jones, Tony Plagman and Clay Jones while Plagman, Avisail Garcia and Clay Jones each drove in a pair. Meanwhile, the powerful Clinton (10-9, 47-41) offense was held in check by a strong outing from Whitecaps' starter Victor Larez.

For the second straight game, the LumberKings took the lead with a run in the first inning. Clinton's top prospect, 19-year-old shortstop Nick Franklin, blasted his 16th homer of the year to right for a 1-0 edge.

On this night, however, the Whitecaps battled back.

After Rob Brantly drew a two-out walk in the second, Clay Jones doubled him home with a shot to deep right-center that tied the score. In the fourth, Wade Gaynor extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a leadoff single and advanced to third on a double by Plagman. Garcia followed with a sacrifice fly as West Michigan took a 2-1 lead.

After missing out on a pair of opportunities to stretch the lead - stranding the bases loaded in the fifth and men at the corners in the sixth - the Whitecaps were able to pull away late.

Corey Jones started a rally in the seventh with a one-out single, notching his second multi-hit effort in as many games since joining the 'Caps on Wednesday. After Gaynor worked the count full and drew a walk, Plagman plated both runners with a double for a 4-1 advantage.

Clay Jones doubled and scored in the eighth before West Michigan mounted another rally in the final frame. Again it was a single by Gaynor and a double by Plagman - his third of the night - that placed runners at second and third, while Garcia delivered another sacrifice fly and Clay Jones added a run-scoring single to cap the 7-1 victory.

That was plenty for Larez (6-7), who rebounded from Franklin's first-inning homer to fire off seven strong innings. He allowed just one run on three hits while fanning five and issuing one walk to win his second consecutive start.

Nolan Gallagher (0-3) suffered the loss for Clinton, pitching 5.2 innings and giving up two runs on six hits and three walks.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game Western Division swing with the finale of a three-game set in Clinton on Friday night at 8:00 p.m. ET. RHP Luis Angel Sanz (1-3, 5.11) is set to take the hill for West Michigan against RHP Taylor Stanton (6-4, 3.63) of the LumberKings. The 'Caps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Wednesday, July 21, for a 7:00 p.m. game featuring Hand Fans for the first 2,500 fans thanks to DFCU Financial and post-game fireworks courtesy of 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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EARLY MISSED OPPORTUNITIES LEAD TO LOSS
07/17/2010 10:57 PM ET

GENEVA, IL - The West Michigan Whitecaps opened a three-game series against the Kane County Cougars with a 7-3 loss on Saturday night at Elfstrom Stadium.

West Michigan (7-15, 33-58) put their leadoff man on base in each of the first five innings, but failed to bring home any of them and stranded six runners over that stretch. Despite the return of all-star Giovanni Soto from the Disabled List earlier in the day, the Whitecaps could not prevent Kane County (14-8, 46-45) from winning a fifth consecutive game and for the 10th time in their last 12 contests.

The Cougars broke onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Rashun Dixon led off with a single, but it was a key passed ball with two outs that moved him into scoring position. Conner Crumbliss then lined a single through the left side that scored Dixon from second as the unearned run gave Kane County a 1-0 lead.

One inning later, the Cougars seized control in the fourth.

Soto allowed three singles that loaded the bases with one out before running into his pitch count, and all three runs came around to score against reliever Jordan Pratt. After walking Dixon to force in the first run, everybody moved up 90 feet on a single by Leonardo Gil and Juan Nunez added a sacrifice fly to make it a 4-0 ballgame.

Gil blasted a solo homer in the sixth to stretch Kane County's lead to 5-0.

The 'Caps went down fighting, scoring three runs in the final two frames to make the Cougars work for the final outs.

Jamie Johnson led off the top of the eighth with a double into the left field corner, scoring on a two-out single by Wade Gaynor that stretched his hitting streak to 12 games. Kane County countered with two runs in the bottom half of the frame, while West Michigan capped the scoring with two more runs of their own in the ninth. The Whitecaps scored their last two runs on three singles and a pair of wild pitches, with Rob Brantly pushing his hitting streak to 10 games while Hernan Perez contributed a run-scoring hit to arrive at the 7-3 final.

Dan Straily (7-6) earned the win with an impressive performance, striking out seven and scattering five hits over six innings of work. He was able to consistently work around trouble early and finished strong by retiring the last six batters he faced. During that final stretch, he struck out four consecutive hitters between the fifth and sixth innings.

Soto (5-6) suffered the loss for the Whitecaps, charged with four runs - three earned - on six hits over 3.1 frames. The lefty struck out three without issuing a walk and threw 62 pitches in his first action since June 30. All three of the earned runs against him scored after his removal from the contest.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game Western Division swing with game two of a three-game set in Kane County on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. ET. RHP Trevor Feeney (7-9, 3.49) is set to take the hill for West Michigan against LHP Ian Krol (7-3, 2.28) of the Cougars. The 'Caps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Wednesday, July 21, for a 7:00 p.m. game featuring Hand Fans for the first 2,500 fans thanks to DFCU Financial and post-game fireworks courtesy of 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 CAN'T CLIMB OUT OF EARLY HOLE
07/17/2010 12:05 AM ET

CLINTON, IA - The West Michigan Whitecaps could not overcome a six-run hole in the first inning on Friday night, battling back to make a game of it before ultimately succumbing to the Clinton LumberKings, 11-5, in the rubber match of a three-game set at Alliant Energy Field.

West Michigan (7-14, 33-57) registered 14 hits, led by a 3-for-5 night from Corey Jones, and pulled to within three runs at one point, but Clinton (11-9, 48-41) was able to hold on thanks to a strong effort from their bullpen.

The LumberKings jumped all over 'Caps starter Luis Angel Sanz with six runs in the opening frame. It started with a single by leadoff man Luis Nunez, who circled the bases with a steal, an error, and a wild pitch to score the game's first run. Nick Franklin and Vinnie Catricala followed with consecutive walks while Tim Morris doubled home the second run of the frame. With runners at second and third Sanz notched a strikeout for the first out of the inning, but James Jones followed by ripping a two-run double to right for a 4-0 advantage.

After another strikeout, Daniel Carroll's two-base hit drove in a fifth run and chased Sanz from the ballgame. Gabriel Noriega greeted reliever Zach Samuels with a bouncing ball through the left side to plate Carroll, capping the rally and staking Clinton to a commanding 6-0 lead.

From there, the two clubs traded blows as the Whitecaps tried to claw their way back into the ballgame.

Tony Plagman doubled and scored on a single by Rob Brantly to put West Michigan on the board in the top of the second. After Clinton countered with a run in the bottom half of the frame, consecutive run-scoring singles by Corey Jones and Wade Gaynor in the third brought the Whitecaps to within 7-3.

The LumberKings' Daniel Carroll led off the bottom of the third with a solo homer, but West Michigan crossed the plate twice more in the fifth. Corey Jones yanked the first pitch of the inning inside the bag at first for a double, while a walk to Gaynor and a single by Plagman loaded the bases with nobody out. Later in the frame, Brantly contributed a run-scoring groundout and Clay Jones chipped in with a single that scored Gaynor while Plagman was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. When the dust had settled, the deficit was cut to 8-5.

That was as close as the Whitecaps could get.

Clinton reliever Jose Jimenez came in for the sixth inning and proceeded to throw three scoreless frames to halt West Michigan's comeback bid. Meanwhile, Kalian Sams put the game away with a three-run homer off Shawn Teufel in the bottom of the eighth, cementing the 11-5 final.

Taylor Stanton (7-4) earned the win despite getting knocked around for five runs on 11 hits over five innings of work. Sanz (1-4) took the loss for West Michigan after getting battered for six runs on four hits in just two-thirds of an inning.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game Western Division swing with the opener of a three-game set in Kane County on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. ET. RHP Trevor Feeney (7-9, 3.49) is set to take the hill for West Michigan against RHP Dan Straily (6-6, 4.63) of the Cougars. The 'Caps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Wednesday, July 21, for a 7:00 p.m. game featuring Hand Fans for the first 2,500 fans thanks to DFCU Financial and post-game fireworks courtesy of 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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LATE HOMER THE DIFFERENCE IN 'CAPS LOSS
07/18/2010 5:28 PM ET

GENEVA, IL - The West Michigan Whitecaps and Kane County Cougars went toe-to-toe in a see-saw affair on Sunday afternoon, but a home run by Leonardo Gil snapped a late tie and doomed the Whitecaps to a 4-3 loss at Elfstrom Stadium.

West Michigan (7-16, 33-59) lost for the fourth time in five games and fell to 1-10 on the road against Western Division teams this season. Conversely, red-hot Kane County (15-8, 47-45) picked up their sixth straight win and clinched their sixth consecutive series victory.

Early on, the story of the game was a pair of starting pitchers. Whitecaps' hurler Trevor Feeney, pitching just 20 minutes away from his hometown of Channahon, Illinois, turned in his 13th quality start of the season and did not allow a run until the fifth. Cougars' 19-year-old lefty Ian Krol was also dominant, allowing just one hit and one run over five impressive innings of work.

The Cougars entered play without having trailed during the current winning streak, but the Whitecaps ended that stretch in the top of the first. With two outs and the bases empty Corey Jones was hit by a pitch. Wade Gaynor promptly delivered a run-scoring double to right-center that gave the Whitecaps a 1-0 lead while extending his hitting streak to 13 games, equaling the longest stretch by a Whitecap this season.

The slim one-run lead stood up until the fifth, when Kane County finally broke through against Feeney. Gil led off the inning with a single through the left side and scored all the way from first on a long double to right-center by Chris Affinito. Later in the frame there were runners at the corners with one out when Jose Crisotomo sent a grounder to first. Clay Jones picked up the roller, stepped on the bag and fired to second where the final out was recorded after a rundown. During the play, however, Affinito crossed the plate before the third out was recorded and the Cougars took a 2-1 lead.

Moments later, the 'Caps battled back to even the score. Gaynor stole second with two outs in the top of the sixth and Avisail Garcia lined a single to left. Gaynor raced home as left fielder Rashun Dixon fired a one-hop strike to the plate, but Gaynor slid around the catcher's lunging tag attempt and brushed the plate with his left hand to tie the game at 2-2.

Shortly thereafter, however, Kane County regained control. Gil led off the seventh inning with a long solo homer to center, blasting his second bomb in as many days to put the Cougars ahead. In the eighth, West Michigan reliever Matt Little was called for a disputed balk with men at the corners to spot Kane County a 4-2 lead.

The Whitecaps pulled within one in the ninth, when Clay Jones belted a laser over the left field fence for a solo homer. Rob Brantly later drew a two-out walk to put the potential game-tying run on base, but Jamie Johnson's game-ending groundout sealed the 4-3 loss.

Cougars' reliever Bo Schultz (4-1) earned the win out of the bullpen despite allowing one run over two innings and being charged with a blown save. A.J. Huttenlocker (1) earned his first save of the year after entering the game in the ninth inning to record the final two outs.

Feeney (7-10) suffered the loss for West Michigan after scattering nine hits over 6.2 innings and allowing three runs.

The Whitecaps wrap up a six-game Western Division swing with the finale of a three-game set in Kane County on Monday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. ET. LHP Jared Wesson (2-0, 2.15) is set to take the hill for West Michigan against RHP Murphy Smith (4-0, 5.48) of the Cougars. The 'Caps return to Fifth Third Ballpark on Wednesday, July 21, for a 7:00 p.m. game featuring Hand Fans for the first 2,500 fans thanks to DFCU Financial and post-game fireworks courtesy of 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 SWEPT AWAY IN SERIES FINALE
07/19/2010 4:50 PM ET

GENEVA, IL - The West Michigan Whitecaps finished a 1-5 road trip with their fourth consecutive loss on Monday, falling by an 8-2 score as the Kane County Cougars completed a three-game sweep at Elfstrom Stadium.

West Michigan (7-17, 33-60) had their chances early, but went just 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners on base. Four of the five walks issued by the Whitecaps pitching staff came around to score, as red-hot Kane County (16-8, 48-45) kept rolling with their seventh consecutive win while completing a dominant 8-1 homestand.

The Cougars were able to jump in front early by turning leadoff walks into runs in each of the first two innings.

In the opening frame, Connor Crumbliss drew a free pass and was bunted to second. A wild pitch then moved Crumbliss to third and drew the infield in, enabling Myrio Richard to bounce a single over the third baseman's head for the first run of the game. One inning later, Leonardo Gil walked and eventually scored on an infield single with two outs by Jose Crisotomo for a 2-0 lead.

That score remained until the fifth, when Kane County went back to work and doubled the advantage. With reliever Zach Samuels on the hill for West Michigan, Crisotomo singled and Anthony Aliotti drew a walk. The runners were at first and second with two outs when Jason Christian lifted a flare down the left field line that dropped just beyond the outstretched glove of a diving Jamie Johnson. Though Christian was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a triple, his two-base knock scored both baserunners as the Cougars pushed their lead to 4-0.

West Michigan cut the deficit in half with a rally in the seventh. Jimmy Gulliver got it started with an infield single while Jeff Rowland added a base hit with one out. Corey Jones followed with a bloop-single to center that drove home Gulliver, and a throwing error later in the frame allowed Rowland to trot home and make it a 4-2 ballgame.

Within shouting distance for a moment, the Whitecaps watched a manageable deficit disappear in the bottom of the eighth. Kane County used a walk and two singles to load the bases with nobody out before reliever Nathan Newman hit a batter to force in a run. As the inning continued, Chris Affinito drove in a run with a well-executed suicide squeeze bunt and Crumbliss added a two-run double as the Cougars snatched a comfortable 8-2 advantage.

Kane County's Murphy Smith (5-0) earned the win, staying perfect by scattering nine hits and allowing two runs - one earned - over 6.2 innings of work. West Michigan starter Jared Wesson (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season, giving up two runs on four hits over four frames.

Two Whitecaps players were able to extend lengthy hitting streaks in the loss. Wade Gaynor singled with two outs in the ninth to keep his streak alive at 14 games, and is batting a blistering .367 during the longest streak by a Whitecaps player this season. Meanwhile, Rob Brantly's sixth-inning single continued a 12-game stretch for the 20-year-old catcher who was playing in just his 20th game since being taken in the third-round of the 2010 draft.

The Whitecaps return to Fifth Third Ballpark to host the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers) on Wednesday, July 21, for a 7:00 p.m. game featuring Hand Fans for the first 2,500 fans thanks to DFCU Financial and post-game fireworks courtesy of Farm Bureau Insurance. RHP Victor Larez (6-7, 4.56) is slated to take the hill for the 'Caps against RHP Maverick Lasker (5-3, 3.36) of the Timber Rattlers. 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 QUIETED BY LASKER IN RETURN HOME
07/21/2010 10:16 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps opened a six-game homestand in front of a raucous crowd of 6,906 on Wednesday night, but suffered their fifth straight loss with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Michigan (7-18, 33-61) got a quality start from Victor Larez and three scoreless innings from the bullpen, but struggled to get anything going against Wisconsin (12-13, 38-55) starter Maverick Lasker.

The 20-year-old Lasker (6-3) stole the show, cruising through seven strong innings and allowing just one run on four hits to earn the win. He retired 18 of the first 20 batters he faced and carried a two-hit shutout into the seventh. Lasker struck out two and did not issue a walk, with two hits by Avisail Garcia- who went 3-for-4 on the night - marking the only baserunners Lasker allowed until his final frame in the seventh.

Meanwhile, the Timber Rattlers gave Lasker a first-inning lead with a little help from the Whitecaps. There were men at the corners with two away when Larez struck out Hunter Morris with a breaking ball in the dirt. The ball squirted away for a wild pitch, however, as Kentrail Davis raced home from third and Morris reached first base for a 1-0 lead.

In the fourth, a leadoff error sparked another rally. Cutter Dykstra reached base on a high throw from third baseman Wade Gaynor, and stole second before scoring on a base hit by Cameron Garfield. After Garfield took second on the throw to the plate, Michael Marseco delivered a run-scoring double that stretched Wisconsin's lead to 3-0.

West Michigan threatened late, finally breaking through against Lasker in the bottom of the seventh. Corey Jones led off the inning with a ground rule double and came around to score on a base hit by Tony Plagman.

Trailing 3-1, the Whitecaps mounted a two-out rally in the eighth. Jamie Johnson singled before walks to Hernan Perez and Corey Jones loaded the bases. Gaynor then blasted a 1-0 pitch to deep left-center that brought the crowd to its feet, but left fielder Khris Davis ran it down one step in front of the wall to quiet both the crowd and the rally.

After escaping the bases-loaded jam in the eighth, Nick Bucci (1) worked around a one-out single in the ninth to notch the two-inning save.

Larez (6-8) suffered the loss for West Michigan despite a solid outing. The 23-year-old Venezuelan right-hander struck out five without issuing a walk and allowed three runs - two earned - on six hits over six innings. He was followed by Jordan Pratt, who threw two scoreless frames, and Shawn Teufel, who added one shutout inning in the ninth.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with the second game of a three-game set against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers) at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 22. RHP Luis Angel Sanz (1-4, 6.45) is slated to take the hill for the 'Caps against LHP Del Howell (2-4, 5.09) of the Timber Rattlers. In addition to $2 food and beverage specials during an Altogas Thrifty Thursday, it will also be Beach Night featuring a special post-game concert by The Concussions. 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, RATTLERS SUSPENDED DUE TO RAIN
07/22/2010 9:34 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Just three outs short of an official game, the West Michigan Whitecaps and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers were suspended due to rain on Thursday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.

Wisconsin was leading by a 2-0 score at the time of the delay, but West Michigan had the bases loaded with nobody out in the bottom of the fifth.

As Luis Alberto Sanz took a first-pitch ball from lefty Del Howell, a display of lightning lit up the night sky and forced plate umpire Jeff Klinghoffer to clear the field. Moments later, the lightning delay became a rain delay as the skies opened up and the torrential downpour began. After a delay of 52 minutes, the contest was officially suspended.

The game will be resumed at 7:00 p.m. on Friday night with Sanz at the plate, the bases loaded, and nobody out in the bottom of the fifth. Following the conclusion of the suspended nine-inning game, the Whitecaps and Timber Rattlers will wrap up the series with a seven-inning contest to account for Friday's regularly scheduled finale.

Before the weather got in the way on Thursday, the Timber Rattlers struck for two runs in the top of the second. Hunter Morris led off with a single and stole second, scoring two batters later on a single to right by Cameron Garfield. Garfield advanced to second on the play courtesy of a fielding error in the outfield, which enabled him to score on a base hit by Joey Paciorek that gave Wisconsin a 2-0 lead.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with bonus baseball against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers) at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 23. After completing Thursday's suspended contest, the two clubs will play a seven-inning game to wrap up the series. All-Star LHP Giovanni Soto (5-6, 2.55) is slated to take the hill for the 'Caps in the second game against RHP Damon Krestalude (2-5, 5.53) of the Timber Rattlers. Another installment of the Tigers Friday series brings Larry Herndon to the ballpark and the first 1,000 fans will receive a bobblehead doll in his likeness. There will also be a special "Field of Dreams" promotion after the game in which 1,000 prizes will be scattered on the field. Fans are invited to take batting practice and keep whatever prize they hit first! 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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PLAGMAN POWERS GAME TWO EXPLOSION IN SPLIT
07/23/2010 11:56 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers each picked up a victory on Friday night at Fifth Third Ballpark, with the 'Caps battling back for a 14-8 win in the nightcap after the Timber Rattlers snuck out a 3-2 victory in the completion of Thursday night's suspended game.

After dropping the early game, West Michigan (8-19, 34-62) exploded a seven-run rally in the third inning of the second contest, batting around before an out had been recorded. Tony Plagman led the charge with a 3-for-3 effort that included a home run and four RBI, but Wisconsin (13-14, 39-56) still took two of the three games in the series.

Following a game-one loss and a 30-minute break, the Whitecaps exploded in the nightcap. Rob Brantly's run-scoring double in the second inning helped West Michigan to a 2-0 advantage, but it was a monster rally one inning later that put the game out of reach.

The first nine batters in the bottom of the third inning all reached base for the Whitecaps and the first seven hitters of the frame all came around to score. Wade Gaynor and Avisail Garcia each delivered two-run singles before a walk to Brantly loaded the bases and chased Timber Rattlers' starter Damon Krestalude from the game. Alexis Espinoza and Jimmy Gulliver greeted reliever Adrian Rosario with consecutive run-scoring hits and Jamie Johnson added a sacrifice fly to cap the rally. When the dust had settled, five singles and three walks led to a comfortable 9-0 advantage.

Despite the hefty lead, West Michigan was far from done. Ahead by a 9-2 score, Plagman went to work in the fourth and fifth innings to blow the game wide open. The Tigers' ninth-round pick out of Georgia Tech in this summer's draft delivered an RBI-single and came around to score in the fourth as the lead swelled to 11-2. One inning later, the 22-year-old slugger blasted a three-run homer to right-center that made it a 14-2.

With the game out of hand, the Timber Rattlers rallied late for four runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh before the Whitecaps wrapped up the 14-8 final. Giovanni Soto (6-6) earned the win, allowing three runs - two earned - on four hits over five innings. Krestalude (2-6, 6.71) suffered the loss after getting knocked around for nine runs on six hits in just two frames.

Earlier in the day, it was Wisconsin picking up a victory.

Friday's action officially began on Thursday night, when the Timber Rattlers jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second. That score remained until lightning and rain sent the game into a delay in the bottom of the fifth. Though the Whitecaps were mid-rally with the bases loaded and nobody out, Mother Nature forced the game to be suspended and the rally had to wait one more night.

When play resumed on Friday, Luis Alberto Sanz had a 1-0 count with the bags packed and nobody out. He smacked a pitch from Santo Manzanillo back up the middle, but the ball ricocheted off the pitcher's leg and right to the third baseman, who threw home for a force out. Johnson followed with a sacrifice fly to right that cut the deficit in half, but that was all the 'Caps would muster as Wisconsin held on to a 2-1 lead.

Chris Dennis made it 3-1 with a solo homer in the top of the sixth, but West Michigan rallied again in the bottom half of the frame. Gaynor delivered the first of four consecutive hits with a one-out double and moved to third on an infield single by Plagman. Garcia chipped in with a run-scoring single to right and Michael Rockett loaded the bases with a hit up the middle. But 3-2 was as close as the Whitecaps could get, as Clay Jones popped up on the infield and Luis Alberto Sanz lined out to first to strand the bases loaded.

Manzanillo (1-1) earned the win for Wisconsin with 3.1 innings after play resumed on Friday, while Luis Angel Sanz (1-5) suffered the loss despite allowing just two runs - one earned - over five frames on Thursday night.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with game one of a three-game series against the Beloit Snappers (Twins) at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 24. RHP Trevor Feeney (7-10, 3.52) is slated to take the hill for the 'Caps against RHP Tom Stuifbergen (4-0, 1.48) of the Snappers. The ballgame will feature special jerseys, promotions and in-park characters on Star Wars Night, which will kick off with glow-in-the-dark baseballs for the first 1,000 fans and wind down with fireworks courtesy of 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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COMEBACK-MINDED 'CAPS FALL SHORT IN NINTH
07/24/2010 11:02 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps overcame a pair of deficits during a back-and-forth affair on Saturday night at Fifth Third Ballpark, but eventually ran out of late-game dramatics in a 6-4 loss to the Beloit Snappers in front of a season-high crowd of 10,010 raucous fans.

West Michigan (8-20, 34-63) scored twice in the fifth to overcome a 1-0 deficit and pushed two more runs across in the eighth to erase a 4-2 disadvantage. Beloit (12-14, 49-46) always seemed to have an answer, though, scoring runs in each of the last four innings to hold on for the victory.

Trailing 4-2, the Whitecaps gave their first crowd of more than 10,000 fans this season something to cheer about in the bottom of the eighth. Jamie Johnson and Jeff Rowland each drew walks to start the rally while Corey Jones bunted the runners to second and third. Cleanup batter Wade Gaynor followed with a grounder to the right side that scored Johnson to cut the deficit to one run. With two outs and an 0-2 count, Tony Plagman delivered the game-tying hit, an opposite field double to left that evened the score at 4-4.

Once again, however, the Snappers had an answer.

James Beresford led off the ninth with a single against Whitecaps reliever Jordan Pratt and was replaced at first on a fielder's choice by Steven Liddle. After Liddle stole second, Rams drove him in with a line-drive single to center that proved to be the game-winning hit. Later in the frame, Anderson Hidalgo's two-out single plated Rams for the decisive 6-4 edge.

The Whitecaps did not go down without a fight, mounting another threat in the bottom of the ninth. Rob Brantly singled and Clay Jones was hit by a pitch to put the potential game-tying run on base with nobody out. Jimmy Gulliver followed with a hard-hit ball up the middle that snuck through the legs and under the glove of the pitcher, rolling directly to the bag at second where the shortstop Beresford was waiting to start a rally-killing double play. The next batter flew out harmlessly as the Snappers held on for the 6-4 win.

Beloit reliever Matthew Hauser (1-0) earned the victory with two scoreless innings after initially allowing a pair of inherited runners to score during a blown save. Pratt (0-1) took the loss for West Michigan, charged with two runs on four hits over 1.2 frames.

Early on, the Snappers came out swinging in the top of the first as three of the first four batters of the night hit safely. Aaron Hicks opened the game with a liner to center and advanced from first to third on a single to right by Liddle. Rams followed with a groundball through the middle that plated Hicks for a 1-0 lead.

That deficit remained until the bottom of the fifth. Beloit starter Tom Stuifbergen entered the frame with a one-hit shutout, but the Whitecaps sent eight men to the plate in the go-ahead rally. Gaynor got it started with a low liner through the middle and Garcia added a one-out double that placed runners at second and third. Brantly sent a slow chopper to second that tied the game when Gaynor beat the throw to the plate. One batter later, Clay Jones smacked a sacrifice fly to deep center that put West Michigan in front, 2-1.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Snappers scored single runs in each of the next three innings. Lance Ray tied the score with a solo homer in the sixth and Beresford broke the tie with a run-scoring single in the seventh. After Ray doubled and scored in the eighth, Beloit's advantage was 4-2.

The Whitecaps continue a six-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with game two of a three-game series against the Beloit Snappers (Twins) at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 25. LHP Jared Wesson (2-1, 2.43) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against LHP Clint Dempster (1-0, 7.20) of the Snappers. It will be a Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Day featuring free lunch for the first 1,000 kids, pre-game catch on the field, and player autographs before the game. After the contest, stick around and kids can run the bases just like the pros! 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 REACHES FIVE TIMES AS 'CAPS CRUISE
07/25/2010 5:01 PM ET

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Avisail Garcia reached base in all five of his plate appearances and drove in two key insurance runs late in the game to lead the West Michigan Whitecaps to an 8-4 win over the Beloit Snappers at Fifth Third Ballpark on Sunday.

In addition to Garcia's 3-for-3 day that included two runs and two RBI, Tony Plagman went 2-for-3 with two runs scored to highlight a 10-hit West Michigan (9-20, 35-63) attack. Garcia and Plagman also drew a pair of walks each as Beloit (12-15, 49-47) issued nine free passes on the afternoon.

The Whitecaps led wire-to-wire on Sunday, jumping out to a lead in the bottom of the first. Michael Rockett and Plagman each singled before Garcia drew a walk that loaded the bases with two outs. Clay Jones then coaxed a free pass to force in the first run. Hernan Perez followed with a bouncer to the first baseman, but the pitcher covering the bag dropped the throw as two runs scored for a 3-0 West Michigan lead.

Wade Gaynor added a sacrifice fly in the second for a 4-0 advantage, but the Snappers countered with single runs in the third and fourth innings to trim the Whitecaps' margin to 4-2.

In the fifth, the 'Caps went back to work. Singles by Garcia and Jones opened the frame and both runners scored on a bouncing-ball double past third by Perez that pushed the lead to 6-2.

Beloit's Danny Rams made it a 6-4 game with a two-out, two-run single in the seventh as the Snappers continued to charge back.

In the bottom of the eighth, however, West Michigan put the game out of reach. Gaynor drew a one-out walk to start the rally and moved to second on a base hit by Plagman. Garcia then delivered the big blow, clubbing a two-run double into the gap in left-center for the decisive 8-4 margin.

The extra cushion proved to be important as the Snappers loaded the bases in the ninth before reliever Kenny Faulk induced a game-ending pop-out to seal the victory.

Jared Wesson (3-1) earned the win with six innings of work, allowing four runs on six hits while walking six and striking out two.

Clint Dempster (1-1) suffered the loss, issuing five walks over two frames and giving up four runs - two earned - on three hits.

The Whitecaps conclude a six-game homestand at Fifth Third Ballpark with the finale of a three-game series against the Beloit Snappers (Twins) at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, July 26. RHP Victor Larez (6-8, 4.44) is scheduled to pitch for West Michigan against RHP Miguel Munoz (7-5, 4.83) of the Snappers. Fans bringing church or community bulletins will receive half-priced box or reserved seats thanks to All Faiths Night presented by JQ 99 FM. 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.