[dropcap]S[/dropcap]ometimes the best things in life are worth waiting for. On the final game of the first half of the season, the West Michigan Whitecaps were able to win the Midwest League Eastern Division for the first time since 2007.
After falling behind, the Whitecaps rallied to defeat the South Bend Silver Hawks by a final score of 4-1 at Four Winds Field to finish a half game ahead of the Silver Hawks.
West Michigan (41-29) scored all of their runs in the top of the sixth inning. Three Whitecaps’ pitchers combined to only allow one run on five hits while allowing nine walks against the Silver Hawks (40-29).
South Bend starter Blayne Weller (3-4) was able to keep West Michigan off the board for the first five innings before the ‘Caps started to rally in the top of the sixth.
It started when a fly ball off the bat of Raph Rhymes dropped between two defenders who misplayed the ball, resulting in a leadoff double. Dominic Ficociello followed with a single, putting runners on the corners for West Michigan.
Jeff Holm drove in the first run after singling a 1-2 pitch into center. Wynton Bernard tried to bunt Ficociello to third base, but instead put himself in an 0-2 count. The All-Star outfielder then got a base hit to center, scoring Ficociello and giving West Michigan a 2-1 lead.
After a bunt and a hit batter, the bases were loaded for Jose Zambrano who dropped a base hit just over the head of South Bend’s first baseman, allowing two more runs to score. The 4-1 lead was more than enough for the Whitecaps’ pitchers, who worked in and out of trouble throughout the game.
The Silver Hawks scored their only run in the second inning after Michael Perez reached second base on a fly ball that was lost in the sun. He would come around to score later in the inning on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Chuck Taylor.
It wasn’t always pretty, but Kevin Ziomek (5-5), Joe Mantiply and Zac Reininger (4) got the outs they needed.
Ziomek earned the win, allowing four hits and one run in 5.1 innings while walking six and striking out four.
Reininger inherited a bases-loaded jam in the eight inning, but was able to escape by throwing just one pitch, before he would eventually strike out the side in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Weller took the loss for the Silver Hawks, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out eight in 5.2 innings.
The first half of the season is officially over, as the Whitecaps make their final preparations for the 2014 All-Star Classic which will be hosted at Fifth Third Ballpark on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., with the gates opening at 4:00 p.m.
