Whitecaps Fall on the Fourth, 4-2
MIDLAND, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps began the Fourth of July with fireworks, but it was the opponent who stole the grand finale as part of a 4-2 loss to the Great Lakes Loons in front of 6,212 fans at Dow Diamond on Thursday night. The Holiday festivities began
MIDLAND, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps began the Fourth of July with fireworks, but it was the opponent who stole the grand finale as part of a 4-2 loss to the Great Lakes Loons in front of 6,212 fans at Dow Diamond on Thursday night.
The Holiday festivities began with a rain delay spanning 78 minutes before a pitcher’s duel ensued, and a solo home run by MLB Futures Game-bound Thayron Liranzo in the seventh inning ended up being the difference as the Loons cruised to their third win in the first four games of this series.
The Whitecaps scored as soon as the contest began as Jim Jarvis blasted a solo home run, his third homer of the season, to help West Michigan take a 1-0 lead. The advantage was short-lived as Dylan Campbell launched a solo shot of his own, his fourth of the year, to even the score at one in the bottom of the frame. After Campbell gave Great Lakes the lead in the fifth with a sacrifice fly, Seth Stephenson tied the game at two with a run-scoring double, but the Loons got back on top when Liranzo blasted his solo homer and seventh of the season to give Great Lakes the lead and ultimately the game-deciding run. In the eighth, the Loons pushed across an insurance run to take a 4-2 lead and pick up back-to-back wins in the series.
The Loons record jumps to 6-6 in the second half and 40-38 overall, while the Whitecaps drop to 8-5 in the second half and 39-40 overall. Loons starter Payton Martin (1-2) tossed a Loons season-high six innings while giving up two runs and struck out five in earning his first Great Lakes victory, while ‘Caps reliever Cleiverth Perez (5-1) allowed the home run to Liranzo in taking his first career Whitecaps defeat. Kelvin Ramirez tossed a scoreless ninth to pick up his second save in as many nights and his sixth of the season. Danny Serretti and Roberto Campos had two hits for West Michigan in a losing cause. In addition, the Whitecaps were picked off the basepaths twice in critical situations, including once to remove the potential go-ahead run from being at the plate in the ninth inning.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps continue this six-game, home-and-home series from Dow Diamond against the Great Lakes Loons on Friday at 7:05 pm. Lefty Joe Miller gets the start for West Michigan and faces off against fellow southpaw Jackson Ferris for the Loons. Tune into the broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:50 pm on 106.1 FM ‘The Ticket’ and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids to catch all the action. Don’t miss out on the excitement; get your tickets for all 2024 home contests, or listen to the games live at whitecapsbaseball.com.