Whitecaps top Loons

Thu, Aug 28, 2008    to del.icio.us

COMSTOCK PARK — Alex Avila padded the lead with a two-out, two run single in the bottom of the eighth inning of a 5-2 Whitecaps win over Great Lakes.

West Michigan has won four in a row, climbed to .500 in the second half (32-32) and with 69 wins will finish with a winning overall record during the regular season.

The Whitecaps have won nine consecutive meetings with the Loons.

Andrew Hess made his longest appearance of the season with 6 2-3 innings pitched as the Whitecaps starter. He allowed two runs on five hits to earn the victory and improve to 2-3.

Great Lakes scored for the third game in a row on an infield single by Jaime Ortiz in the first inning.

Cory Middleton gave West Michigan a 2-1 lead in the third inning on his sixth home run of the season, which was a two-run shot.

Brett Jacobson inherited a pair of base runners from Hess in the seventh inning and maintained a 3-2 lead by throwing 1 1-3 scoreless innings.

Second baseman Justin Henry made the play of the night with the tying run at first base and no outs in the top of the eighth inning. Henry cut off a ground ball off the bat of Jaime Ortiz that was headed toward center field. He then flipped behind his back to shortstop Audy Ciriaco to start a double play and end the Loons last threat of the game.

Noah Krol pitched a perfect ninth inning for the Whitecaps to earn his 11th consecutive save and 14th of the season.

Ortiz went 2-for-4 with a double and both Loons RBI.