‘Caps Fall on Thursday, 4-2
COMSTOCK PARK, MI – Outfielder Junior Perez’s ninth inning, tiebreaking, two-run home run denied the West Michigan Whitecaps their longest winning streak of the season as part of a 4-2 loss to the Lansing Lugnuts in front of 4,012 fans on Thursday night at LMCU Ballpark. Perez, who has collected
COMSTOCK PARK, MI – Outfielder Junior Perez’s ninth inning, tiebreaking, two-run home run denied the West Michigan Whitecaps their longest winning streak of the season as part of a 4-2 loss to the Lansing Lugnuts in front of 4,012 fans on Thursday night at LMCU Ballpark.
Perez, who has collected seven of his eight hits during the 2023 season against the Whitecaps, blasted an 0-1 pitch from reliever Tyler Mattison just over the outstretched glove of center fielder Roberto Campos to give the Lugnuts their first win of the six-game series. The ‘Caps loss stops their winning streak at three – a streak they’ve built four times this season.
The Whitecaps took the lead when outfielder Austin Murr was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to help West Michigan take a 1-0 lead after two innings. In the third, the Lugnuts Daniel Susac delivered a two-run double to help Lansing pull ahead by a score of 2-1. An inning later, a pitch once more hit Murr, and with Luis Garcia at the plate, Lugnuts pitcher Mitch Myers uncorked a wild pickoff attempt that came to rest inside the Whitecaps bullpen, allowing Murr to circle the bases and tie the game at two. The score remained the same until the ninth when Perez delivered his first homer of the season. The Whitecaps were retired in order by Lansing closer Jorge Juan in the ninth to finish the contest and give Juan his second save of the season.
The Whitecaps record falls to 18-12, but they remain just one game back of the first-place Great Lakes Loons after they lost to the Lake County Captains by a score of 6-5 on Thursday night. The Lugnuts record improves to 14-15. Lansing reliever John Beller (1-0) tossed two scoreless innings in relief to pick up his first win, while Mattison (3-1) suffered his first loss. Detroit Tigers Top Prospect Jace Jung went 2-for-3 with a walk at the plate in a losing cause.
UP NEXT
This series between the Whitecaps and Lansing Lugnuts moves to a rare Friday morning matchup beginning at 11:00 am. Lefty Carlos Pena, featuring the lowest ERA in the Midwest League, takes the mound for West Michigan against the Lugnuts Jacob Watters. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Nate Wangler begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 10:45 am. Get your tickets for all 2023 home games now at www.whitecapsbaseball.com.