'Caps Big Eighth Seals Series Split, 9-3
April 27, 2025 - Midwest League (MWL)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
DAYTON, OH - The West Michigan Whitecaps did what they've done best all season on Sunday - dominate the eighth inning - as they scored eight unanswered runs, including six in the eighth, to break a 3-3 tie as part of a 9-3 win over the Dayton Dragons in front of 8,356 fans at Day Air Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
The Whitecaps were at their best when it mattered most on Sunday, sending 11 batters to the plate in the penultimate inning of regulation, scoring six times to leave Dayton with three wins in their six games of the series. In the eighth inning of games this season, the Whitecaps have outscored their opponents 38-7. Coupled with the Lansing Lugnuts Sunday loss to Fort Wayne, the 'Caps enter the off day sitting in sole possession of first place in the Midwest League's Eastern Division.
West Michigan struck first against 14-year MLB veteran Wade Miley, making a rehab assignment on Sunday after starting the series' first game last Tuesday. Outfielder Seth Stephenson slammed his second home run of the season in the opening inning to give West Michigan a 1-0 lead. Moments later, Miley was removed from the game with an apparent injury, giving way to the Dragons bullpen. In the third, Stephenson helped throw out Dayton outfielder Carlos Jorge trying to score from first base on a single by Leo Balcazar, but an inning later, a Dragons two-out rally was punctuated by an RBI-double from Trey Faltine to even the score at one. In the fifth, Dayton took the lead against Whitecaps reliever Haden Erbe as outfield Carlos Jorge delivered a go-ahead RBI-Triple following a leadoff walk to give the Dragons a 2-1 lead. Balcazar followed with a sacrifice fly, extending the lead to 3-1.
It was at this point when West Michigan's league-leading offense came to life, scoring six times in an eighth inning that they have dominated throughout the season. After scoring a run in the sixth, a game-tying RBI-single by Jack Penney in the seventh evened the score at three. The eighth inning saw the 'Caps break through against Dragons reliever Cody Adcock when Johnny Peck ripped a go-ahead, two-run double to give West Michigan a 5-3 lead. A two-run single by Andrew Jenkins followed with run-scoring singles from Archer Brookman and Max Clark to end the scoring.
The Whitecaps leave this series with a record of 14-7 with the win, while the Dragons fall to 8-13. West Michigan reliever Carlos Lequerica tossed a pair of scoreless frames in collecting his third win of the season, while Dayton pitcher Cody Adcock (0-2) gave up six runs in two-thirds of an inning in taking his second loss. The Whitecaps posted their best mark of the season at the plate with runners in scoring position, going 8-for-12 in the series finale.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps begin a brand-new six-game series in Appleton on Tuesday night against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers beginning at 7:40 pm. Pitchers Max Alba and Ryan Birchard make the starts in the series opener for the 'Caps and Rattlers. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty starts on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 7:25 pm on 106.1 FM 'The Ticket' and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids to catch all the action, or listen to the game live at whitecapsbaseball.com.
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