LANSING, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps threw a one-hitter as part of being a doubleheader split by the Lansing Lugnuts with a 2-1 loss and 9-2 victory on Wednesday night at Jackson Field.
The one-hitter became the first for West Michigan since May 20 when Beau Brieske, Sam Kessler, Yaya Chentouf, and Ruben Garcia combined to beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 4-1 at Fox Cities Stadium. The nightcap helped the Whitecap break out of a stretch in which they had scored just three runs in four games with a nine-run, nine-hit attack in the seven-inning second game.
In Game 1, the game was played under the possibility that West Michigan may capture its second no-hitter of the season, as the ‘Caps gave up a run without allowing a base hit in the third when Jonny Butler lifted a sacrifice fly to give Lansing a 1-0 lead. Otherwise, ‘Caps starting pitcher Austin Bergner tossed five hitless innings of one-run baseball while striking out six. Cooper Johnson matched the sac fly with one of his own to tie the game in the fifth. West Michigan put runners at the corners in the seventh before Jose King grounded out to end the inning. In the bottom of the frame, Lugnuts catcher Will Simoneit led off the frame with a solo home run off reliever Chris Mauloni to break up the no-hitter and give Lansing a 2-1 walk-off win.
In the nightcap, catcher Eliezer Alfonzo celebrated his return to West Michigan with an RBI-single to give the ‘Caps a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Gage Workman blasted his fourth home run of the season in what sparked a huge night in the fourth. In the fifth, West Michigan broke out for five runs beginning with a two-run homer by Jimmy Kerr and featuring a two-run triple by Jake Holton before Workman collected a double – his third extra-base hit of the night – to conclude the scoring.
The Lugnuts record now sits at 46-52 as the Whitecaps move to 46-52. Workman finished with his first three-hit game of the season in the nightcap victory.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps continue this six-game series against the Lansing Lugnuts from Jackson Field on Thursday at 7:05 pm. Righty Chance Kirby gets the start for West Michigan against the Lugnuts Osvaldo Berrios. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty starts on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:50 pm. Get your tickets for all 2021 home games now at www.whitecapsbaseball.com.
