COMSTOCK PARK, MI – Detroit Tigers No. 2 overall prospect Bryce Rainer hit his first home run with the West Michigan Whitecaps but couldn’t hold a ninth inning lead as part of a 4-3 loss to the Dayton Dragons Wednesday evening at LMCU Ballpark.
Rainer finished 2-for-3 with a walk, a run scored, and two RBI, including a solo home run. Meanwhile, West Michigan had the Dragons down to their final out in the ninth when a throwing and fielding error allowed three runs to score in the defeat.
Both teams traded blows in the first inning as Dragons outfielder Kien Vu hit a solo home run before Whitecaps shortstop Rainer responded with an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1. Whitecaps starting pitcher and Detroit Tigers No. 16 prospect Ben Jacobs was solid, stranding four baserunners while collecting seven strikeouts, as first baseman Garrett Pennington put the ‘Caps in front in the third inning with an RBI single to make it 2-1. West Michigan added an insurance run in the eighth inning as Rainer launched his first Midwest League home run over the left-field wall, extending the lead to 3-1. Then, with two outs in the ninth, the Dragons loaded the bases on a throwing error by closer Logan Berrier before a fielding error by left fielder Junior Tilien allowed three runs to score, giving Dayton a 4-3 lead. The Whitecaps were retired in-order in the bottom half as Dragons closer Cody Adcock slammed the door with a scoreless frame to complete the comeback and hand West Michigan the loss.
The Whitecaps fall to 12-17 while the Dragons improve to 15-14. Berrier (0-1) suffered his first loss, allowing three runs (none earned) over 1.2 innings pitched. Meanwhile, Dragons reliever Stephen Quigley (2-0) earned his second win after tossing a scoreless frame, while Adcock picked up his second save. The Whitecaps have now lost 10 consecutive games — two shy of the franchise record of 12 straight losses set in May 2011.
UP NEXT
The ‘Caps and Dragons continue this series with a Thursday morning contest beginning at 11:00am. Lucas Elissalt and Beau Blanchard get the starts for West Michigan and Dayton respectively. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Nate Wangler begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 10:45am on 106.1 FM ‘The Ticket’, and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids, or listen to all the action on whitecapsbaseball.com.