Whitecaps take doubleheader from Loons

The West Michigan Whitecaps captured a pair of one-run wins Thursday night, winning the completion of Wednesday night’s suspended game, 4-3, and racking up a 2-1 victory in the regularly-scheduled contest in seven innings.

Play resumed on Thursday with the game tied 1-1, two outs and a 1-2 count on Jaime Ortiz. Joe Tucker doubled home Ronnie Bourquin in the fourth to give the ‘Caps a 2-1 lead. The Loons tied the game with their second run on a double by Ortiz in the fifth, scoring Erik Kanaby.

West Michigan re-took the lead with a seventh-inning single by Kody Kaiser, followed by a Kanaby sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning to re-tie the game. The game-winning run was driven in by Justin Henry in the top of the ninth inning with a sac fly.

In the nightcap, Kenley Jansen singled home Alfredo Silverio in the second inning to give the Loons a 1-0 lead. The Whitecaps tied the score in the fifth with a Kyle Peter sac fly, and the game-deciding run was driven home by Jordan Newton with a sixth-inning triple over the head of Alfredo Silverio.

Friday night’s game between the Great Lakes Loons and West Michigan Whitecaps features a pitching matchup of right-hander Justin Miller for the Loons (4-8, 4.03 ERA) against southpaw Mauricio Robles for the Whitecaps (4-2, 2.70).

Photos by Alex Baumgardner & Brent Riley