COMSTOCK PARK, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps couldn’t get the bats going as part of a 9-1 loss to the Fort Wayne TinCaps in front of 6,257 fans Sunday afternoon at LMCU Ballpark, entering the MLB All-Star Break with a second-half record of 12-9.
TinCaps catcher Oswaldo Linares and infielder Justin DeCrisio combined to drive in all nine Fort Wayne runs while the team went 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, the ‘Caps went 0-for-8 with runners at second and third base and hit into three double plays in the defeat.
West Michigan starting pitcher Rayner Castillo was perfect through four innings, while recording three strikeouts and maintaining a scoreless tie. Fort Wayne broke through in the fifth as catcher Oswaldo Linares launched a three-run homer. The Whitecaps responded with their lone run in the sixth when outfielder Caleb Shpur crossed the plate on a double play, trimming the deficit to 3-1. Fort Wayne then exploded for six runs across the seventh and eighth innings, highlighted by DeCrisio’s three-run shot followed by a two-run double in the next inning, extending the lead to 9-1. The ‘Caps failed to respond over the final two innings as Fort Wayne relievers Braian Salazar and Will Varmette combined for two scoreless frames to close out the 9-1 victory.
The Whitecaps fall to 12-9 in the second half and 38-47 overall, while the TinCaps improve to 9-12 in the back half of 2026 and 36-51 overall. Castillo (1-7) suffered his seventh loss after allowing three runs over five innings, while Fort Wayne reliever Maikel Miralles (1-7) earned his first win after giving up one run over five innings without recording a strikeout. West Michigan heads into the All-Star break 3.5 games behind Great Lakes for first place in the Midwest League Eastern Division standings, with a three-game road series against the Loons beginning July 17 at Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan.
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The Whitecaps enjoy the MLB All-Star Break, in which three former players head to the midsummer classic in catcher Dillion Dingler (’21), outfielder Riley Greene (’19), and infielder Kevin McGonigle (’24-25) as representatives of the Detroit Tigers. The ‘Caps return Friday night at Dow Diamond in Midland to take on the Great Lakes Loons with first pitched scheduled for 7:05pm. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:50pm on ‘The Ticket West Michigan’ and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids or listen to all the action on whitecapsbaseball.com.