West Michigan WhiteCaps at South Bend SilverHawks
April 14th, 2004
| West Michigan |
|
|
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
4 |
9 |
1 |
| South Bend |
|
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
2 |
7 |
3 |
E-Giarratano, Varela, Bonifacio, LOB WM-4, SB-4, 2B-Rodland, Burgos, Varela, Frazier, HR-Giarratano (Juarez), SB-Blue, Bonifacio, CS-Kirkland, Sabino, SACF-Cook
WP-Baldwin, Juarez
T-2:15, A-1,096
HP-Mark Ripperger, Clinton Mahan
South Bend Tribune
by Forrest Miller
Maybe the weather was too warm. After winning five straight on miserably cold night, the South Bend SilverHawks were not as productive in 60 degree conditions Wednesday at Coveleski Stadium.
West Michigan handed the Hawks their first loss of the Midwest League baseball season, 4-2 behind some superb pitching from right hander Andy Baldwin.
A 15th round draft pick last spring from Western Kentucky University, Baldwin struck out six, walked nobody and allowed just one earned run in six innings.
"Baldwin really gives us a great mound presence. He works fast and uses both sides of the plate," said West Michigan manager Matt Walbeck.
South Bend manager Tony Perezchica also gave credit to Baldwin. "He handled us all day, mixed his pitches well, and made us swing." said Perezchica.
The WhiteCaps took a 2-0 first inning lead on a home run by short stop Ton Giarratano, then added single runs in the third and fourth inning. The early home put the SilverHawks behind at the end of an inning for the first time in 46 innings this season.
Baseball America rates Giarratano, a third round draft pick from Tulane last spring, as owning the best tools of any college shortstop last year. The publication rates him No. 5 among Detroit's top 40 prospects, and it's easy to see why. He's a switch hitter with power and good range.
"He swings well from both sides, he hustles, and has a good routine every day," said Walbeck.
South Bend's first losing pitcher of the season was William Juarez, not nearly as sharp as he was in the season opener a week ago when he allowed three hits in six innings. Wednesday he struck out nine.
There was not a walk issued during the entire game, a factor in the snappy two hour and 15 minute affair.
"Last week Juarez had pin point control. Tonight he made some mistakes and we made some errors behind him," said Perezchica. "Giarratano hit a change up that was down, a difficult pitch to hit. You can see why he is highly rated prospect."
Giarratano also scored West Michigan's second run after reaching base on an error. Hits by Kelly Hunt and Rich Burgos then produced the run. Hunt singled in the sixth, advanced on a double by Burgos and scored on an error.
Emilio Bonifacio singled, stole second and advanced on an error and scored on Jeff Cook's fly ball in the second inning. Alex Frazier doubled and scored on Miguel Montero's hit in the fourth.
Relief pitching on both sides was excellent. South Bend's Jared Liebeck was perfect in three innings, striking out four of the nine batters he faced. Damien Myers and Chris Homer each fired a shutout inning for the WhiteCaps.