The West Michigan Whitecaps hosted the 2014 Midwest All-Star Classic earlier this week. Photos by Victoria Walenga/The Pit
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n Tuesday night, the Midwest League celebrated the 50th anniversary of the All-Star Classic at Fifth Third Ballpark. On a historic night, the Western Division flirted with history as they defeated the Eastern Division by a final score of 7-0.
Entering the bottom of the eighth inning, the Eastern Division still didn’t have a hit. With a chance to make history, Peoria’s Chris Perry took the mound for the Western Division. After retiring the first batter he faced, South Bend’s Marty Herum came up to the plate.
Herum was the last position who entered the game for the Eastern Division and Eastern Division manager Andrew Graham even joked to Herum that he would be the guy to end the no hitter.
“The way we were going through the order so quickly, I finally got him in there the second half to DH and I said ‘you’re going to get at least one at bat and I bet you break up the no hitter,’” Graham said after the game.
Joking or not, it turned out Graham was able to predict the future as Herum singled through the right side for the Eastern Division’s first hit of the game. The Eastern Division added one more hit in the ninth inning on a base hit off the bat of South Bend’s Daniel Palka.
For as little offense as the Eastern Division showed, the Western Division had no trouble getting runners on base. They got things going in the top of the first inning against West Michigan’s Jonathon Crawford, putting runners on first and third.
With Beloit’s Boog Powell on third base and Quad Cities’ Brett Phillips on first, the duo was able to successfully pull of a double steal, giving the Western Division a 1-0 lead.
Midwest League All-Star Classic trophy.
By the time most of the Western Division starting All-Stars were replaced with players off the bench, they had already given their team a 3-0 lead heading to the top of the sixth inning.
Even though six new players entered the inning for the Western Division All-Stars, it was Powell who delivered the biggest hit of the inning. Powell’s two-run double gave the Western Division a 5-0 lead before Burlington’s Chad Hinshaw came in as a pinch-hitter two batters later and hit a two-run home run to left field, giving the Western Division All-Stars a 7-0 lead.
Crawford took the loss for the Eastern Division All-Stars depsite nearly escaping a bases-loaded jam without allowing a run. The right-hander allowed one run while allowing one hit and walking two batters.
The Whitecaps were represented well, having seven players on the Eastern Division’s roster. Buck Farmer pitched a scoreless inning of relief, while outfielder Wynton Bernard went 0-3 with a walk and second baseman Javier Betancourt went 0-2.
Beloit’s Kyle Finnegan earned the win for the Western Division All-Stars, throwing a scoreless first inning.
Powell was named the Star of Stars, going 1-3 with two walks, three runs, two RBIs and two stolen bases.
Despite the loss, Graham emphasized the real importance of the All-Star Classic.
“Not all of them are going to have what it takes to make it to the big leagues, so this might be the highlight of their careers,” said Graham about the meaning of this game to the players. “Everyone got along really well. Just from the word go, this group hardly knew each other but they got along, everyone was laughing and having a good time. That’s what the All-Star game is about at this level.”
