‘Caps Bitten by Timber Rattlers in Sweep

West Michigan Whitecaps

APPLETON, WI – The West Michigan Whitecaps offense tallied 15 runs in a doubleheader at Fox Cities Stadium on Saturday, fell in a pair of one-run losses to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers by scores of 9-8 and 8-7.
The highlight of the afternoon came in Game One, when Spencer Torkelson,

APPLETON, WI – The West Michigan Whitecaps offense tallied 15 runs in a doubleheader at Fox Cities Stadium on Saturday, fell in a pair of one-run losses to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers by scores of 9-8 and 8-7.

The highlight of the afternoon came in Game One, when Spencer Torkelson, the first pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, launched the first home run of his professional career as part of a 3-for-4, 3-RBI performance. In Game Two, the ‘Caps rallied from a two-run deficit when Daniel Cabrera and Andre Lipcius tied the game with back-to-back solo home runs before Timber Rattlers catcher Thomas Dillard delivered a walkoff home run to end the contest.

WATCH: TORK’S FIRST WHITECAPS HOMER

The Whitecaps were forced to play from behind almost all-day Saturday, as the Timber Rattlers took a commanding 5-0 lead over the first two innings highlighted by a Hayden Cantrelle two-run single. In the third, Torkelson ripped a two-run single to help trim the deficit to 5-3. In the bottom of the frame, Jesus Lujano helped Wisconsin reestablish a four-run lead with a two-run home run – his third of the season to up the lead to 7-3. In the fourth, Rey Rivera blasted his third home run of the series before Torkelson drove a breaking ball high over the center field wall for his first home run in affiliated baseball.

Wisconsin added two more runs in the fifth before the Whitecaps battled back to within a run at 9-8 in the seventh and final inning, but Rivera flew out to deep right to end the first ballgame.

In the nightcap, Jose King launched his first homer as a Whitecap to help take a 2-0 lead into the third inning before starting pitcher Keider Montero gave up a go-ahead three-run homer to Korey Howell to give Wisconsin a 3-2 edge. The Timber Rattlers added on four more in the fourth in an inning highlighted by two-run singles from Lujano and Chad McClanahan to take a 6-2 lead.

Once again, the ‘Caps battled back with two runs in the sixth, when King stroked an RBI-double before a run-scoring single from Eduardo Valencia, who went 3-for-3 in his first career game with West Michigan to bring the deficit to 6-5. After Wisconsin tallied an insurance run in the sixth, Cabrera and Lipcius tied the game at seven with the back-to-back homers. In the bottom of the seventh and final inning of regulation, Dilliard carried the wall in center field with the game-winning home run – his third homer of the season – to end the contest and give Wisconsin a doubleheader sweep.

On the mound, Timber Rattlers pitchers Taylor Floyd and Harold Chirino collected victories in relief while ‘Caps pitchers Jesus Rodriguez and Zack Hess took the losses. The Whitecaps fall to 7-9 while the Timber Rattlers improve to 8-9. Saturday marks the first time the ‘Caps have given up a walkoff homer since former Michigan Wolverine Jonathan Engelmann did the same on June 23, 2019, at Lake County.

UP NEXT

The Whitecaps and Timber Rattlers conclude this series Sunday afternoon at 2:05 pm. The Whitecaps send pitcher Garrett Hill to the mound for the second time this series against Timber Rattlers righty Justin Jarvis. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 1:50 pm. A limited number of tickets are available for select Whitecaps 2021 home contests by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.

Game 1 – Box Score

Game 2 – Box Score

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