'Caps end offensive drought with 10-9 win

Wed, Aug 20, 2008    to del.icio.us

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Following shutout losses in three of the last five games, the Whitecaps put up double digit hit and run totals to squeak-out a 10-9 victory in South Bend.

West Michigan held three different leads in the game.

Alex Avila tied the game, 9-9 on an RBI single that drove in Chris Carlson in the top of the ninth. Ronnie Bourquin scored the go-ahead run when Audy Ciriaco grounded into a double play.

South Bend's Billy Spottiswood blew a save for just the second time this season. Whitecaps closer Noah Krol converted on his ninth consecutive save opportunity by pitching a scoreless bottom of the ninth inning. It was Krol's first save since June 27 against Lansing.

Brett Jacobson pitched 1.1 shutout innings to earn the victory. In the bottom of the eighth, a dropped pop up allowed South Bend to load the bases with no outs.

Jacobson retired the next three batters in order to keep the Silver Hawks within a run at 9-8.

The last out in the bottom of the eighth came on a diving catch in foul ground by Jordan Newton, who committed the error on the fly ball earlier in the inning.

Taylor Harbin went 5-for-6 for South Bend with three doubles and six RBI. Avila finished 3-for-5 with four RBI for West Michigan.

Justin Henry scored three of the Whitecaps runs. Ollie Linton and Collin Cowgill — the top two hitters in the Silver Hawks lineup — scored three runs each.

West Michigan led 2-0 in the first and 7-4 in the fourth while South Bend led 4-2 after two innings and 9-7 after seven.

Jo Jo Batten homered in two consecutive at bats for the Silver Hawks: In the eighth inning of the Hawks 3-0 win Monday and in the second inning on Tuesday. His solo shot tied the game, 2-2.

The 'Caps survived four errors and three unearned runs while the Hawks allowed two unearned runs on one error.