Whitecaps Blank Kernels, Take Game Five of the Series, 4-0

After a nine-hit performance Friday night, the Cedar Rapids bats were held to just four hits Saturday afternoon as West Michigan shuts out the Kernels for the second time in the series, 4-0.

For the second day in a row, the West Michigan offense got started early; Carlos Mendoza led off the game with a double, then two batters later, Izaac Pacheco lined an RBI single into left to make it 1-0.

In the top of the second, the Whitecaps doubled their led on a Pierson Ohl wild pitch plating Justice Bigbie to make it 2-0.

Ohl’s third start of the season lasted four innings, the right-hander got the loss allowing two runs on five hits with two strikeouts.

West Michigan continued its stretch of solid starting pitching Saturday; Wilkel Hernandez went four scoreless frames for the Whitecaps notching six strikeouts compared to just two hits.

With the Kernels' bats held down, West Michigan padded the lead to 3-0 in the eighth inning when Roberto Compos reached on a fielder’s choice scoring Bigbie. In the ninth, the lead grew to 4-0 when Chris Meyers launched his second home run of the series down the right field line.

In the bottom of the ninth, Cedar Rapids loaded the bases with no one out, thanks to back-to-back hits and an error. But after a lineout, strikeout and pop out, West Michigan’s Blake Holub stranded all three runners to end the contest.

With the win, West Michigan (11-9) has a chance to split the series in tomorrow's finale at 1:05. Cedar Rapids (9-10) looks to bounce back with Jaylen Nowlin making his fourth start of the season opposite Carlos Pena, who makes his second start for the series after grabbing a no-decision in the opener on Tuesday.