MIDLAND, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps made a pair of errors that led to big innings and the end of their long winning streak in a 5-4 loss to the Great Lakes Loons Wednesday night at Dow Diamond.
The loss caps the Whitecaps winning streak at eight games – placing their run of success in a fourth-place tie for the longest win streak in franchise history. Until Wednesday night, their last loss came on May 22 at Wisconsin.
For the second straight night, the Whitecaps jumped out to an early lead. On Tuesday, the ‘Caps plated six first-inning tallies but settled for two in the first frame. Spencer Torkelson and Daniel Cabrera’s back-to-back doubles led to a run-scoring single by Dillon Dingler to give West Michigan a 2-0 lead. An inning later, a dropped fly ball opened the door to the Loons scoring twice to tie the game at two. Dingler blasted a solo homer in the fourth to help West Michigan reclaim a 3-2 edge. In the fifth, an error on a ground ball propelled a three-run outburst to give the Loons the lead. Great Lakes third baseman Miguel Vargas launched a tie breaking two-run homer to help take a 5-3 lead. The ‘Caps drew within a run in the eighth when Wenceel Perez blasted a solo homer and put the potential winning run on base but couldn’t manage to push across the tying run in the Whitecaps first loss since May 22.
Jesus Vargas (3-2) tossed 5.2 outstanding innings of one-run relief while striking out three in collecting his third win of the season. Jesus Rodriguez (1-2) takes his second loss of the season while giving up five runs (two earned) in five frames. Cameron Gibbens tossed a perfect ninth inning to collect his second save of the season. The Whitecaps remain in first place and tied with the Dayton Dragons with records of 15-10 while the Loons improve to 13-13. Dingler reached base three more times in the victory and has reached safely seven times in the first two games of this series.
UP NEXT
This six-game series between the Whitecaps and Great Lakes Loons continues from Dow Diamond Thursday at 7:05 pm. West Michigan is scheduled to start pitcher Keider Montero against the Loons’ Logan Boyer. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:50 pm. Get your tickets for all 2021 home games now at www.whitecapsbaseball.com.
