Long balls help West Michigan edge Devil Rays
28 May 2006 BATTLE CREEK, MI - Rafael Mendez and Michael Hernandez each hit their first home runs of the season for the Whitecaps in a 4-3 win over Southwest Michigan. With the win, West Michigan stays within a half game of Lansing, who leads the Midwest League Eastern Division.
The Lugnuts beat Fort Wayne, 5-3 on Friday.
Erik Averill threw six innings as the West Michigan starter and allowed just two earned runs. The final Devil Ray run was unearned, thanks to an error in the sixth inning.
Justin Justice drove in the winning run on a single to center field in the eighth inning.
Hernandez scored the game winner. He blasted a solo home run that put the Whitecaps in front, 3-2 in the sixth and also tied the game with an RBI single in the fourth.
Rafael Mendez put West Michigan on top, 2-1 in the fifth with a solo shot to right.
Ricky Steik earned the win with two innings of scoreless relief. Orlando Perdomo pitched a perfect ninth to record his team-leading 13th lead.
Outfield Shuffle: Justin Justice started the game in center field for the Whitecaps with Jeramy Laster in right and Pedro Cotto in left. But in the top of the second inning, Justice re-aggravated a sprained ankle as he broke from the batters box on a ground ball. He stayed in the game but moved to left field. Laster went to center and Cotto was sent to right.
Another Bruise: In the fifth inning, Justice banged into the left field wall while trying to catch an RBI double off the bat of Hunter Vick. Justice was momentarily shaken up, but again remained in the game.
Source: oursportscentral
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