MIDLAND, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps allowed a pair of one-run leads to slip away as part of a 9-4 loss to the Great Lakes Loons Friday night at Dow Diamond.
The Loons scored the first run of the game on a Ryan Ward groundout before the ‘Caps took the lead in the fifth. A run-scoring double by Jose King helped West Michigan take a 2-1 lead. Zac Ching and Andy Pages blasted game-tying and go-ahead solo home runs to give the Loons a 3-2 edge in the bottom of the inning. In the sixth, the Whitecaps reclaimed the lead with two more runs led by an RBI-single by Eric De La Rosa to take a 4-3 lead. Once again, the Loons responded with two of their own in the bottom of the frame when Ching laced a two-run triple to give Great Lakes a 5-4 lead. A Deacon Liput RBI-double highlighted a four-run seventh inning to put Friday’s contest out of reach from the ‘Caps.
Whitecaps reliever Brendan White made his first start of the season on Friday. The 22-year old escaped a bases-loaded threat in the first before striking out the side in the second. Reliever Angel Reyes (1-1) suffered his first loss of the season after giving up two unearned runs in the sixth. Loons lefty Jeff Belge (2-0) was charged with a blown save but tossed an inning of relief to collect his second win. The Whitecaps record falls 16-11 while the Loons improve to 14-14. Dillon Dingler and De La Rosa each led the ‘Caps with a pair of hits in a losing cause.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps and Loons play the penultimate game of their six-game series from Dow Diamond Saturday at 7:05 pm. West Michigan sends pitcher Chance Kirby to the mound, while the Loons send pitcher Bobby Miller to the hill. 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.
