LocalSportsJournal.com
After losing a game to bad weather on Wednesday, the West Michigan Whitecaps re-emerged with a come-from-behind 5-3 victory over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Thursday.
The Timber Rattlers opened the scoring with a two-run double by Jake Gatewood in the first inning, but the Whitecaps answered in the bottom of the frame. An RBI-double by Will Allen and a two-run single by Jose Azocar gave the Caps a 3-2 lead after an inning of play.
In the third, a run-scoring single by Will Maddox increased West Michigan’s lead to 4-2. In the fifth, the teams traded runs on an RBI single by Timber Rattlers first baseman Mitch Ghelfi, followed by Rashad Brown’s run-scoring double to give the Caps their final lead.
Whitecaps starting pitcher Jordan Smith (3-0) earned his third victory of the season despite giving up nine hits. The West Michigan bullpen was sensational, with southpaw Trent Szkutnik and closer Gerson Moreno combining for four hitless innings. Moreno’s perfect ninth earned the right-hander his third save of the season.
Brown led the ‘Caps offense, going 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, a stolen base and an RBI in the contest.
The Whitecaps improved to 13-12, while the Timber Rattlers fell to 13-15.
