MIDLAND, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps opened the 2022 regular season with a dominant pitching performance and historic win in a 5-1 victory over the Great Lakes Loons in front of 1,655 fans at Dow Diamond on Friday night.
The Whitecaps finished the 2021 season one victory short of
MIDLAND, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps opened the 2022 regular season with a dominant pitching performance and historic win in a 5-1 victory over the Great Lakes Loons in front of 1,655 fans at Dow Diamond on Friday night.
The Whitecaps finished the 2021 season one victory short of their franchise milestone, as four pitchers combined to hold Great Lakes to only three hits while striking out 14 batters. West Michigan recorded their 1,000th win almost 15 years ago to the day when they beat the Clinton LumberKings 5-0 in Comstock Park on April 14, 2007.
The Loons scored the first run of the ballgame when Ismael Alcantara launched a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning to give Great Lakes a 1-0 lead and their only run of the contest. The ‘Caps quickly responded with three runs in the ensuing inning as Trei Cruz, and Austin Murr tallied RBI-doubles to highlight a three-run frame. A dropped pop-up by Loons shortstop Leonel Valera opened the door to the big inning. The score remained the same until the ninth, as both teams squandered opportunities with the bases loaded in previous innings, but Parker Meadows led off the ninth with a solo home run before Jake Holton added a run-scoring single for a pair of insurance runs and a 5-1 lead to end the scoring.
Michael Bienlien (1-0) hurled two scoreless frames out of the bullpen while striking out a pair of Loons in earning his first win of the season, while Hyun-il Choi (0-1) gave up three runs in his first 2022 start in suffering his first loss of the year. West Michigan starting pitcher Carlos Guzman tossed four dominant innings, allowing a run on one hit and struck out eight without walking a batter. The Whitecaps record becomes 1-0, while the Loons move to 0-1. The Whitecaps also drew eight walks in the contest, as Murr, Holton, and Wenceel Perez all reached base three times in the win.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps continue the first series of the 2022 regular season against the Great Lakes Loons on Saturday at 1:05 pm. West Michigan sends righty Dylan Smith to the mound for the first time in 2022 against the Loons pitcher Emmet Sheehan. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty starts on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 12:50 pm. Get your tickets for all 2022 home games now at www.whitecapsbaseball.com.