West Michigan suffered a devastating loss Memorial Day, losing to Bowling Green, 15-0. Pit file photo
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t may have been Memorial Day, but Monday’s game is one the West Michigan Whitecaps hope to forget, as they lost to the Bowling Green Hot Rods by a final score of 15-0 at Bowling Green Park.
The story throughout the game was the same, as West Michigan (28-23) had trouble recording the final out each inning. In fact, Bowling Green (23-27) scored 12 of their 15 runs and 10 of their 15 hits with two outs.
As impressive as the Hot Rod’s bats were, their starting pitcher was just as good.
Ryne Stanek, the Tampa Bay Rays’ first-round pick in 2013, pitched brilliantly in just the fourth start of his professional career, earning his first win of the season. Stanek (1-2) retired 18 of the 19 hitters he faced in six innings without surrendering a run.
While Stanek was keeping the Whitecaps from scoring, the Hot Rods took advantage of two-out rallies in the first and third innings, giving them a 5-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first, Armando Araiza’s double to deep right-center scored Darryl George from first base. Araiza scored later in the inning on a single by Johnny Field.
In the third, Ty Young hit a two-out double over the head of left fielder Tyler Gibson to score Field from first. Yoel Araujo followed with a two-run shot to left-center, giving the Hot Rods a 5-0 lead.
Bowling Green added five runs in the seventh in part to Araujo’s second two-run home run and five more runs in the eighth, giving them a lopsided 15-0 victory.
Much like the Detroit Tigers have needed Danny Worth to pitch in the past week, the Whitecaps turned to utility infielder Jose Zambrano to record the final out of the game. Zambrano started the game on the bench but was brought in to play third base after Gibson was taken out of the game after being hit by a pitch on his hand in the fifth inning. Making his first professional pitching appearance, Zambrano gave up a three-run home run to Alexander Simon before finally getting a groundout to end the inning.
Jon Maciel (2-2) took the loss for the Whitecaps, allowing five runs on eight hits over six innings.
Crawford
Despite the loss, their was still some good news announced for the Whitecaps, as Jonathon Crawford was named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week.
Crawford only made one appearance during the week, tossing seven shutout innings against Dayton while striking out nine and only allowing three singles and one walk.
Crawford is currently ranked seventh in ERA in the Midwest League despite the rough start he had to the season. In fact, since April 4th, he is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA (3 earned runs allowed in 39.1 innings) and has not allowed more than one earned run in any of his last seven starts.
West Michigan wraps up their six-game road trip tonight with an 8:05 p.m. first pitch against Bowling Green. LHP Kevin Ziomek (3-4, 2.00) is scheduled to start for West Michigan against RHP German Marquez (1-2, 4.70) of Bowling Green.
