[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he West Michigan Whitecaps gave fans twice the fun, as they hosted the Fort Wayne TinCaps in a split doubleheader. Although they lost the first game by a final score of 5-4, they were able to split the double bill, winning the night cap 6-5 at Fifth Third Ballpark.
In the first game, the Whitecaps took a 4-3 lead entering the top of the seventh and final scheduled inning but watched the lead slip away from them, giving them their first home loss since May 21.
With two outs in the seventh, the TinCaps were able to put runners on the corners with two outs when Fernando Perez hit a line drive to left field that looked like it would end the game. Instead left field Raph Rhymes slipped, allowing the ball to past him and scoring both runners.
Facing a 5-4 deficit, the Whitecaps got a leadoff single from Francisco Contreras, but they were unable to score him.
Joe Mantiply (5-2) took the loss and earned a blown save after the miscue. He was charged with two runs on three hits over two innings.
Eric Yardley (1-1) and Nick Mutz (7) also benefited from the misplay, allowing the TinCaps relievers to earn the win and the save.
Lost in the loss was the comeback effort the Whitecaps put together earlier in the game.
The Detroit Tigers’ third-round pick in this year’s draft, Grayson Greiner was 2-3 with an RBI, as he picked up his first career hit and RBI in professional baseball while also helping the Whitecaps get a 2-0 lead. Fort Wayne answered in the top of the fifth inning with a three-run rally after getting four-straight two-out hits against Whitecaps’ starter Jonathon Crawford.
Trailing 3-2 as the headed the bottom of the fifth, the Whitecaps responded quickly with a two-run home run by Dominic Ficociello, putting the Whitecaps back on top 4-3. The score would remain that until the Rhyme’s mishap in left field.
Besides his home run, Ficociello reached base successfully in all three of his plate appearances as he extended his hit streak to 15 games, the longest current streak in the Midwest League. In the last 15 games, the switch-hitting first baseman is batting .393 with two home runs and 10 RBIs.
After a frustrating loss in the opening game of the doubleheader, the Whitecaps would battle back to win the second game, defeating the TinCaps by a final score of 6-5 in 11 innings.
In the night cap, Rhymes would look to play the part of hero after his slip in left field cost his team the win in the first game of the doubleheader. Rhymes 2-6 at the plate with 3 RBIs, including driving home the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning.
The Whitecaps (2-1, 43-30) and TinCaps (1-2, 31-41) were tied 5-5 since the sixth inning before the TinCaps started a rally in the top of the 11th. With runners on the corners and no outs, Whitecaps’ reliever was able to induce a ground ball to second baseman who looked the runner back to third base before turning the 4-6-3 double play. Two batters later, Robertson would work out of the jam without allowing a run.
With one out in the bottom of the 11th, Betancourt was able to reach base and advance to third on a throwing error by TinCaps’ third baseman Dustin Peterson.
Waiting on deck was Rhymes, who was looking to make up for his miscue in the first game. He would do just that, as he singled up the middle to score the game-winning run.
Robertson (3-3) earned the win for the Whitecaps, allowing no runs in the one inning he pitched. Jeffrey Enloe (0-1) took the loss for the TinCaps, giving up one unearned run in 1.1 innings.
The Whitecaps got on the board quickly when Rhymes scored a run on a groundout in the first inning. They would add three more runs in the third after Wynton Bernard tripled to score a run, before scoring on a wild pitch. Rhymes would later double to score another run, giving the Whitecaps a 4-0 lead.
It didn’t take long for the TinCaps to respond, as they started a two-out rally in the top of the fifth. The key at bat during the rally was from Henry Charles who tripled in two runs during a nine pitch at bat. The Whitecaps still had a 4-3 lead until Josh VanMeter and Jake Bauers added RBI singles, giving the TinCaps a 5-4 lead.
West Michigan would tied the score at 5-5 when Bernard scored on a two-out wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning. The score would remained tied until the Whitecaps broke through in the bottom of the 11th for a walk-off victory.
The Whitecaps and TinCaps close out their four-game series on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at Fifth Third Ballpark. RHP Austin Kubitza (6-0, 2.17) is scheduled to start for the Whitecaps against LHP Payton Baskette (2-3, 4.58) of the TinCaps.
