[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he West Michigan Whitecaps fell behind early but used a five-run rally in the fifth inning on Sunday to defeat the Fort Wayne TinCaps 7-6 at Parkview Field.
West Michigan (11-6, 52-35) have not only won eight of their last 10 games but also improved to a season-best 17 games over .500, while earning their seventh series sweep of the season. With the loss on Sunday, Fort Wayne (5-12, 35-51) lost their last nine contests.
Down 5-1 with two outs in the top of the fifth inning, the Whitecaps put together a rally to put them on top for good.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Jeff Holm singled to center to score two runs and forced Fort Wayne to take starter Kyle Lloyd out of the game. Reliever Eric Yardley then gave up back-to-back RBI-singles by Francisco Contreras and Bennett Pickar before Willy Adames reached on an error that allowed the fifth run to score in the inning, giving the Whitecaps a 6-5 lead.
Both teams scored a run in the sixth before relievers Montreal Robertson (4-4) and Zac Reininger (6) entered the game and preserved the lead for West Michigan.
Robertson earned the win for West Michigan, pitching two innings for the Whitecaps while allowing only one baserunner. Reininger closed out the game with a scoreless ninth inning, giving up only a one-out walk.
Holm had an excellent day at the plate, going 2-4 with a home run and three RBI. Holm’s home run was a solo shot down the right field line in the top of the fourth inning which tied the score then at 1-1.
Fort Wayne responded with four runs during a five-hit rally against starter Jon Maciel in the bottom half of the fourth. Four of the five hits were extra bases, including a two-run home run by Ryan Miller, as the TinCaps took a brief 5-1 lead.
The lead didn’t last for long, thanks to the Whitecaps’ rally in the fifth inning. Though most of the damage was against Lloyd, Yardley (1-2) took the loss after being charged with the decisive run – an unearned run – and allowing two inherited runners to score in only one-third of an inning.
West Michigan is off Monday, but they will resume their 10-game road trip on Tuesday night with an 8:05 p.m. first pitch against the Bowling Green Hot Rods. LHP Kevin Ziomek (7-5, 2.48) is scheduled to pitch for the Whitecaps against RHP Jake Faria (4-4, 3.69) of the Hot Rods.
