‘Caps Big Seventh Highlights Friday Rally, 6-4
EASTLAKE, OH – West Michigan Whitecaps outfielder Patrick Lee delivered offense in key moments as the ‘Caps pitching staff weathered a late rally in a 6-4 seesaw win over the Lake County Captains Friday evening at Classic Auto Group Park. Lee finished the game with three RBI and a run
EASTLAKE, OH – West Michigan Whitecaps outfielder Patrick Lee delivered offense in key moments as the ‘Caps pitching staff weathered a late rally in a 6-4 seesaw win over the Lake County Captains Friday evening at Classic Auto Group Park.
Lee finished the game with three RBI and a run scored, including a game-tying two run single and a go-ahead sacrifice fly. Meanwhile, Whitecaps pitchers held Lake County to just 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position while leaving nine total runners stranded in the slim 6-4 victory.
Lake County struck first in the third inning as Dean Curley and Esteban González both added RBI singles, delivering the Captains a 2-0 edge. At the same time, Captains starter Jackson Humphries was automatic, tossing four scoreless frames with seven punchouts before reliever Jogly Garcia followed with two shutout frames, keeping the 2-0 lead intact. West Michigan broke through in the seventh inning as Lee delivered the game-tying two-run single before Woody Hadeen and Roberto Campos came through with individual RBIs – taking the 4-2 edge. Lake County wasted no time responding, as designated hitter Jaison Chourio lined an RBI single into center field before Aaron Walton plated Chourio on a base hit, tying the ballgame at 4-4. Lee came through for the ‘Caps again in the seventh as he scored Junior Tilien on a sacrifice fly before first baseman Garrett Pennington added his first home run of the season in the ninth – making it 6-4 Whitecaps. The Captains did bring the potential go-ahead runner to the plate in the ninth before West Michigan closer Duque Hebbert registered a strikeout and a groundout to end the threat and earn the save in the slim 6-4 win.
The Whitecaps improve to 2-0 on the season while the Captains fall to 0-2. Whitecaps reliever Ryan Harvey (1-0) picks up his first win of the year, allowing two runs through two innings with a pair of strikeouts, while Hebbert earns his first save with a scoreless ninth. Captains reliever Luis Flores (0-1) suffers the loss, allowing one run through an inning pitched. Whitecaps catcher Hunter Dobbins – who went 0-for-1 at the plate with the ‘Caps last season after serving as their primary bullpen catcher – finished with two hits for the first time in his professional career.
UP NEXT
The ‘Caps conclude this three-game, season-opening series with a Saturday matinee against the Lake County Captains from Classic Park at 1:00 pm. Whitecaps righty Rayner Castillo takes the mound for West Michigan against the Captains Braylon Doughty. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 12:45 pm on 106.1 FM ‘The Ticket’, and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids, or listen to all the action on whitecapsbaseball.com.