COMSTOCK PARK, MI – Pitching dominated, but the offense couldn’t respond as the Great Lakes Loons blanked the West Michigan Whitecaps 3-0 in front of 5,240 fans Wednesday night at LMCU Ballpark.
‘Caps pitching compiled 14 strikeouts while holding the Loons to an 0-for-9 mark with runners in scoring position.
COMSTOCK PARK, MI – Pitching dominated, but the offense couldn’t respond as the Great Lakes Loons blanked the West Michigan Whitecaps 3-0 in front of 5,240 fans Wednesday night at LMCU Ballpark.
‘Caps pitching compiled 14 strikeouts while holding the Loons to an 0-for-9 mark with runners in scoring position. Still, the Whitecaps couldn’t take advantage, as West Michigan finished with three hits while advancing one runner into scoring position and striking out ten times in the shutout loss. The Whitecaps need to gain three games on the first-place Lake County Captains in the Midwest League East Division to enter the postseason for the first time since 2018 with four games left in the regular season.
Great Lakes scored in the third inning as Eddys Leonard roped an RBI triple, plating Kekai Rios and taking the 1-0 lead. West Michigan recorded just one hit in the next five innings while Great Lakes pitcher Adolfo Ramirez tossed five shutout innings with six strikeouts and maintained the 3-0 lead. Great Lakes increased their advantage in the eighth and ninth innings as Austin Gauthier drew a bases-loaded walk before Leonard added his second RBI triple of the game, 3-0. Danny Seretti added the Whitecaps third hit in the eighth inning, but it wasn’t enough, as Loons closer Ben Harris struck out the side to slam the door and earned the shutout victory.
Ramirez (1-0) picks up his first win while closer Ben Harris collects his fourth save. Meanwhile, Pena (1-1) suffers his first loss, allowing one run through three innings – one strikeout shy of the single game-high for a pitcher this season (8). The Loons improve to 76-52 and 36-26 in the second half. The Whitecaps fall to 69-59 and 38-24 in the second half. Catcher Josh Crouch reached base twice with a single and a walk in a losing cause.
UP NEXT
The final series of the 2022 regular season rolls on Thursday night as the Whitecaps host the Loons at 6:35 pm. Righty Keider Montero makes his last start of the 2022 regular season on the mound against talented Loons righty River Ryan. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Nate Wangler begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:20 pm. Get your tickets for all 2022 home games now at www.whitecapsbaseball.com.