Sunday, September 19, 2004



Happy Whitecaps hoist the trophy after Sunday's victory.

'Caps Win 2004 Midwest League Championship, 4-2!!!


Comstock Park, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps won their third Midwest League Championship since 1996 with a 4-2 win over the Kane County Cougars in Game 5 of the Championship Series Sunday afternoon.

West Michigan broke through in the third inning with one run before
adding two more in the fourth for a 3-0 lead. Kane County comitted four
errors and none of the 'Caps first three runs were earned. Juan Francia,
who went 0-for-9 in Game 4's 16-inning 7-5 loss, had three hits in three
tries with two RBIs including an insurance run in the sixth to make a
4-1 lead. Danilo Sanchez and Rodland had the other RBIs.

Danny Zell tossed six innings of four hit, one run ball after allowing
two walks and five strikeouts before leading with a 3-1 lead and,
eventually, the win.

The Whitecaps had an overall record (69-70) that was 14 games worse than
Kane County’s intimidating 83-56 mark. The 'Caps came charging into the
playoffs, however, after earning a spot on the last day of the regular
season which was sparked by an astonishing 24-6 record in August for a
40-30 second-half record and Eastern Division Championship.

West Michigan used a 2-1 series win over Lansing, a 2-0 sweep of South
Bend and a 3-2 win over Kane County to earn their third league
championship in the 11-year history of the team and their first since
1998. The win came in the first Game 5 of the team's playoff history.

How does one describe the perfect day?

MIDWEST LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!

Read the blow-by-blow account here. More pictures will be coming in the days to follow.