Whitecaps trounce Loons

West Michigan Whitecaps right fielder Casper wells homered twice and drove in four runs in the Whitecaps’ home-opening, 11-1 victory over the Great Lakes Loons Monday night.

The Whitecaps improved to 5-0 with a win that featured plenty of highlights. In addition to Wells’ offensive heroics, left fielder Mark McBratney recorded three hits and four runs and first baseman Chris Carlson doubled twice. The ‘Caps struck for 14 hits against the Loons’ pitching trio of Daigoro Rondon, Geison Aguasviva and Thomas Melgarejo.

“We had too many mistakes pitching,” said Loons manager Juan Bustabad, whose team dropped its first road game to fall to 3-2 overall. “It was just a bad game overall and just one of those nights when our pitchers, it seemed, had to get six outs per inning.”

Additionally, the Whitecaps received strong pitching performances. Left-hander Jon Kibler, who played last season for Michigan State before being drafted by the Tigers in the 30th round of the 2007 draft, did not allow an earned run in five innings. Santo Maieses followed with three perfect relief innings, striking out four. Andrew Hess pitched a scoreless ninth.

The Loons’ offense mustered just four hits – two by Travis Vetters and one each by Jovanny Rosario and Erik Kanaby. With his third inning single, Rosario extended his season-starting hitting streak to five games.

The Loons and Whitecaps meet for the second game of their four-game series Tuesday night beginning at 6:35 p.m. Loons’ right-hander Justin Miller (0-0, 1.80) will oppose lefty Ramon Garcia (0-0, 0.00).