Whitecaps Fall to TinCaps, 6-3
COMSTOCK PARK, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps fell behind early and couldn’t recover as the Fort Wayne TinCaps snapped the ‘Caps three-game winning streak in a 6-3 loss in front of 6,304 fans Friday night at LMCU Ballpark. The Whitecaps surrendered four runs through the first two innings, and
COMSTOCK PARK, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps fell behind early and couldn’t recover as the Fort Wayne TinCaps snapped the ‘Caps three-game winning streak in a 6-3 loss in front of 6,304 fans Friday night at LMCU Ballpark.
The Whitecaps surrendered four runs through the first two innings, and the offense couldn’t recover, finishing just 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position while leaving seven runners on base in the loss.
Fort Wayne scored a run in the first inning as outfielder Alex McCoy delivered an RBI double before adding a two-run single during a three-run second inning to give the TinCaps an early 4-0 lead. West Michigan broke through in the fourth as outfielder Caleb Shpur crossed the plate on a wild pitch, but the TinCaps responded quickly with an RBI single from Carlos Rodriguez in the fifth to stretch the lead to 5-1. Both teams traded runs again in the sixth and seventh innings, as Whitecaps infielder Bryce Rainer came home on a fielding error in the sixth before TinCaps first baseman Luke Cantwell answered with a solo home run in the seventh, making it 6-2. West Michigan continued to chip away in the eighth as outfielder Andrew Sojka plated Clayton Campbell with an RBI single, but it was too late for the Whitecaps as TinCaps closer Clark Candiotti retired the side in order in the ninth to seal the 6-3 victory.
The Whitecaps fall to 11-8 in the second half and 35-48 overall, while the TinCaps improve to 8-11 in the second half and 35-50 overall. Whitecaps starting pitcher Carlos Marcano (1-3) suffered his third loss after allowing four runs over two innings of work.
Meanwhile, TinCaps starter Abraham Parra (4-5) earned his fourth win, allowing just one run over five innings pitched. Detroit Tigers No. 2 overall prospect and Whitecaps infielder Bryce Rainer finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and has now hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, including two home runs and 14 RBIs during that stretch.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps go for the series win from LMCU Ballpark when they play the Saturday night contest within this six-game series against the Fort Wayne TinCaps at 7:05pm. Charlie Christensen gets the start on the mound for West Michigan against the TinCaps Bryan Balzer. Broadcast coverage with Dan hasty and Nate Wangler begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:50pm on ‘The Ticket West Michigan’ and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids or listen to all the action on whitecapsbaseball.com.