COMSTOCK PARK, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps kept the hopes for their first postseason appearance since 2018 alive as part of a 5-3 victory over the Great Lakes Loons in a must-win scenario with 8,007 fans present Saturday night at LMCU Ballpark.
WATCH: WHITECAPS TAKE MUST-WIN GAME ON SATURDAY
COMSTOCK PARK, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps kept the hopes for their first postseason appearance since 2018 alive as part of a 5-3 victory over the Great Lakes Loons in a must-win scenario with 8,007 fans present Saturday night at LMCU Ballpark.
WATCH: WHITECAPS TAKE MUST-WIN GAME ON SATURDAY
The win, combined with a Fort Wayne 7-1 win over the Dayton Dragons on Saturday, puts West Michigan a half-game back going into the Sunday’s season finale. The Whitecaps need both a victory over the Loons on Sunday and a TinCaps loss to clinch the Midwest League Second-Half Eastern Division title.
West Michigan took the lead in the first inning as Gage Workman delivered an RBI-Triple before Andrew Jenkins added a run-scoring double, putting the ‘Caps in front 2-0. The Loons responded in the top of the second as Alex Freeland collected an RBI-Double before Frank Rodriguez brought home a run with a single, knotting the game at two. Pitcher Garrett Burhenn entered the game in the fifth and surrendered the first Midwest League homer for Nick Biddison, inching the Loons in front 3-2. West Michigan wasted no time responding as Luke Gold blasted a go-ahead two-run shot – his second in as many games – to forge the ‘Caps back in front 4-3. Izaac Pacheco added a critical insurance tally in the eighth with a solo home run as the ‘Caps bullpen allowed just one hit through the final four frames to earn the 5-3 victory.
The Whitecaps improve to 68-61 overall and 36-28 in the second half, while the Loons fall to 75-55 and 30-35 in the second half. Burhenn (6-6) picks up his sixth win of the season, allowing one run through three innings with six strikeouts as Michael secures his fifth save with a scoreless ninth. Loons starter Hyun-il Choi (4-5) suffers his fifth loss, allowing four runs through 4.2 innings of work. Burhenn, Elvis Alvarado, and Michael combined to allow just one run while tallying nine strikeouts through the final five frames to secure the slim victory. Both Gold and Jenkins collected two hits apiece to lead the offense to victory.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps close the 2023 regular season against the Great Lakes Loons at LMCU Ballpark with a sold-out Sunday matinee at 2:00 p.m. Pitcher and Top Detroit Tigers Prospect Jackson Jobe gets the start for West Michigan against the Loons Jared Karros. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Nate Wangler begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network with a special pregame show beginning at 1:30 p.m. Get all the latest Whitecaps off-season news at www.whitecapsbaseball.com.