[dropcap]D[/dropcap]espite having a 5-0 lead at one point, the West Michigan Whitecaps were unable to hold off the Fort Wayne TinCaps on Saturday night, losing by a final score of 8-6 at Parkview Field.
Wynton Bernard reached base five times while leading off for West Michiga (31-25) as they took an early lead over Fort Wayne (25-30).
Javier Betanourt went 2-for-5 Saturday with two RBI’s in the Whitecaps loss to Fort Wayne. Pit file photo
Bernard was the catalyst for the first nine innings of the game, going 3-4 with two walks, two stolen bases, a run and a RBI against his former team. Javier Betancourt and Willy Adames both went 2-5 and Betancourt and Raph Rhymes each had two RBIs.
Starting pitcher Austin Kubitza had another solid outing for West Michigan, allowing one earned run in six innings, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the TinCaps from being able to rally back.
The Whitecaps had a 6-5 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, but Midwest League RBI-leader Dustin Peterson hit a solo shot just fair down the left-field line to tie the score at 6-6.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, Jake Bauers led off with a single against Whitecaps’ reliever Scott Sitz before being replaced by pinch runner Mallex Smith, who leads the Midwest League in stolen bases. Smith stole second and eventually moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. This set the stage for former Whitecaps’ catcher Adolfo Reina, who was acquired by the San Diego Padres in the Rule 5 draft last year.
The 24-year-old catcher was 0-4 at that point in the game when he came up to bat. On the third pitch of the at bat, Reina hit a two-run home run to left to give the TinCaps a 8-6 victory.
Tayron Guerrero (4-0) got the win for the TinCaps, retiring the only batter he faced. Sitz (2-5) took the loss for the Whitecaps, allowing two runs in one-third of an inning.
West Michigan continues their three-game road series against Fort Wayne today at 3:05 p.m. at Parkview Field. RHP Jon Maciel (2-2, 3.69) is scheduled to start for West Michigan against LHP Payton Baskette (1-1, 3.53) of Fort Wayne.
