Austin Kubitza earned the win as the West Michigan Whitecaps beat the South Bend Silver Hawks 4-2 in the battle for first place. Pit file photo
[dropcap]P[/dropcap]laying in front of a season high 8,545 fans at Fifth Third Park, the West Michigan Whitecaps defeated the South Bend Silver Hawks by a final score of 4-2.
With their victory on Saturday, the Whitecaps (36-26) have won eight of their last 10 games and have improved to a season-best 10 games above .500 for the season. The win not only gives them a four-game lead in the wild card chase, but it also puts them only a game and a half behind South Bend (37-24) in the standings.
Austin Kubitza (6-0) turned in another quality start for West Michigan as his sixth victory on the year ties him for the lead in the Midwest League. Kubitza allowed two runs in the fourth inning, which gave the Silver Hawks a temporary lead, but then responded by retiring 10 of the next 12 batters he faced.
The Whitecaps infield played a solid game defensively, as 14 of the outs Kubitza recorded came via groundball outs. The two runs South Bend scored in the fourth inning would be all that Kubitza would allow all game, as he pitched seven innings while allowing six hits and two walks and striking out five.
Tim Remes entered the game for West Michigan batting only .160, but he was the offensive hero for the Whitecaps on Saturday.
Remes singled and scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning before South Bend plated two runs in the top of the fourth. Down 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth, Dominic Ficociello singled and advanced to third after Jeff Holm doubled. With runners on second and third and no outs, it seemed likely that West Michigan would at least score a run to tie the game. After a groundout and a strikeout, Remes stepped up to the plate looking to give the Whitecaps the lead.
After getting ahead in the count 2-0, Remes would do just that as he singled to center, allowing both runners to score and giving the Whitecaps a 3-2 lead.
Holm also had a solid day at the plate, going 3-4 and scoring the fourth and final run for the Whitecaps a single off the bat of Willy Adames.
Julio Felix (4) earned the save for the Whitecaps, pitching two scoreless innings.
John Omahen (1-1) was charged three runs and seven hits in five innings as he took the loss for the Silver Hawks.
The Whitecaps will host the Silver Hawks again today with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch. RHP John Maciel (3-2, 3.44) is scheduled to start for West Michigan against RHP Sean Furney (2-1, 4.67) of South Bend.
