Fort Wayne defeats Lansing
July 8, 2017 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - TinCaps starting shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. reached base four times and had two extra-base hits as Fort Wayne beat the Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto Blue Jays), 6-4, on Friday night at Parkview Field.
Fort Wayne (10-6, 36-50) scored first in the bottom of the third inning off Lansing starting pitcher Yenssy Diaz (L). Tatis Jr. led off with a triple to left-center field. It was the 18-year-old's third straight game with a triple and fifth total triple this season. Two batters later, left fielder Jorge Oña doubled down the left-field line, scoring Tatis Jr. for a 1-0 TinCaps lead. First baseman Brad Zunica followed with a single that scored Oña to put Fort Wayne up 2-0.
Lansing (5-11, 42-40) got on the board in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs and runners on first and third base, Yeltsin Gudiño singled to score Mitch Nay from third base and trim the Fort Wayne advantage to 2-1.
The TinCaps scored again in the fifth inning with one swing of the bat. Tatis Jr. led off the frame with his 13th home run this year to give Fort Wayne a 3-1 edge.
The Lugnuts cut the TinCaps' lead again in the top of the sixth inning. With one out and a runner on third base, Nay hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Edward Olivares to make it 3-2 with the TinCaps still in front.
Fort Wayne stretched its lead in the bottom of the sixth. Designated hitter Marcus Greene Jr. and right fielder Jack Suwinski both worked walks to put runners on first and second base. With two outs, catcher A.J. Kennedy doubled to right-center field to score both Greene Jr. and Suwinski to extend the TinCaps' lead to 5-2. With Tatis Jr. batting, Kennedy advanced to third base on a wild pitch, and he scored on another wild pitch to put Fort Wayne ahead 6-2.
Lansing added a run in both the eighth and ninth innings. In the eighth, Nay hit a sac fly to right field that scored Rodrigo Orozco to make it 6-3. Then in the ninth, Olivares singled to center field to score Luis De Los Santos and cut the TinCaps' lead to 6-4.
TinCaps starting pitcher Jim McDade (W) was stellar. The right-hander struck out seven batters in seven innings pitched. McDade allowed just two runs and didn't walk a batter.
Fort Wayne reliever Diomar Lopez (S) allowed the one run in the ninth, but picked up his first save of the season. Will Headean pitched the eighth inning for the TinCaps. The left-hander allowed a run but picked up a strikeout and close the frame strong with a groundout and strikeout.
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Midwest League Stories from July 8, 2017
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- Olivares Collects Four Hits in Loss - Lansing Lugnuts
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