SOUTH BEND, IN - The West Michigan Whitecaps built an 8-0 lead and needed every single run as they held on to beat the South Bend Cubs 8-7 at Four Winds Field on Sunday afternoon.Tweet from @wmwhitecaps: We hang on to beat South Bend in Sunday afternoon baseball 8-7! Back
SOUTH BEND, IN - The West Michigan Whitecaps built an 8-0 lead and needed every single run as they held on to beat the South Bend Cubs 8-7 at Four Winds Field on Sunday afternoon.
A day after a 1-0 loss featured the Whitecaps stranding the bases loaded in the third inning, Sunday's third proved to be a much different story. The 'Caps jumped out to a 7-0 lead with seven runs in the third frame. Cole Peterson opened the scoring with a two-run double, while Colby Bortles grounded an RBI-single into left field. After a wild pitch scored Jose Quero, Dylan Rosa smashed a two-run double before Ignacio Valdez plated a run with a two-bagger of his own. In the fifth, Valdez brought home another run with a single to extend the lead to 8-0.
Meanwhile, 'Caps starter Garett King cruised through his first four innings on the mound, allowing just two hits without walking a batter and striking out eight before departing in the fifth.
With the game seemingly out of reach, the Cubs fought back against the 'Caps bullpen. South Bend scored two in the second on Jared Young's two-run fifth inning single. In the eighth, the Cubs plated five runs in an inning highlighted by Miguel Amaya's two-run homer and a throwing error on a pickoff attempt by Whitecaps catcher Joey Morgan to bring the score to 8-7. West Michigan reliever Wladimir Pinto finished the game and protected the one-run lead to ensure a 'Caps victory in the season-opening three-game set.
Whitecaps relief pitcher Oswaldo Castillo (1-0) pitched 2.2 scoreless innings in relief to earn his first Midwest League win. Cubs starter Erich Uelman (0-1) allowed six runs in just 2.1 innings to suffer his first loss of 2018. Pinto struck out three of the last four batters he retired in earning his first save of the season. Dylan Rosa led the charge with three hits and two RBI, while Cole Peterson reached base three times with a single, double, two RBI and two stolen bases. The Whitecaps jump their record to 2-1, while the Cubs fall to 1-2.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps return home for a four-game series against the Great Lakes Loons Monday at 6:35 p.m. Right-hander Elvin Rodriguez gets the start for West Michigan against Loons pitcher Jesus Vargas. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Mike Coleman begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:25 p.m. Tickets are available for any Whitecaps 2018 home contest by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or by visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.
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