‘Caps Fall to Fort Wayne, 5-3
COMSTOCK PARK, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps couldn’t find a clutch hit they needed as they allowed two critical late runs, falling to the Fort Wayne TinCaps 5-3 in front of a season-high 6,131 fans Friday morning at LMCU Ballpark. Despite taking an early 2-0 lead, the Whitecaps struggled
COMSTOCK PARK, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps couldn’t find a clutch hit they needed as they allowed two critical late runs, falling to the Fort Wayne TinCaps 5-3 in front of a season-high 6,131 fans Friday morning at LMCU Ballpark.
Despite taking an early 2-0 lead, the Whitecaps struggled with runners in scoring position, finishing just 2-for-8 while being limited to just one base hit in the final four innings of play in the defeat.
West Michigan plated individual runs in the first and second innings as Roberto Campos drove Max Anderson home on an RBI single before Peyton Graham added an RBI single in the second – jumping on top 2-0. Fort Wayne rallied in the fourth and fifth as Lucas Dunn added an RBI single before the TinCaps added two runs in the fifth – highlighted by an RBI double from Nik McClaughry – forging in front 3-2. West Michigan leveled the game at 3-3 with a solo home run from Campos in the sixth – his second of the year – as Whitecaps reliever Michael Bienlien tossed three scoreless innings with two punchouts – maintaining the 3-3 tie going into the ninth. Fort Wayne delivered the finishing blow in the top of the ninth inning with two runs – featuring a tie-breaking RBI single from Colton Vincent – before closer Mitch Miller recorded a scoreless ninth with a strikeout to finish the job and earn Fort Wayne the win.
The TinCaps improve to 11-20 while the Whitecaps fall to 14-17. Fort Wayne reliever Francis Pena (3-0) earns his third win of the year, going 2.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts, while Miller picks up his first save of the season. Whitecaps reliever Connor Holden (2-1) suffers his first loss of the year, allowing two runs through just an inning in the defeat. The Whitecaps and TinCaps committed five combined errors – tying the most in a single 'Caps game this season.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps and TinCaps play the penultimate game of their six-game series at LMCU Ballpark on Saturday night at 7:05 pm. Defending Midwest League Pitcher of the Month Jaden Hamm gets the start for West Michigan against San Diego Padres Top-3 Prospect Dylan Lesko for Fort Wayne. Don’t miss the action; tune into broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Nate Wangler on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:50 pm on 106.1 FM ‘The Ticket’ and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids. Get tickets for all 2024 home contests or listen to games live at whitecapsbaseball.com.