MWL Fort Wayne TinCaps

4-Game Winning Streak Ends in Walk-off Loss

Published on June 9, 2023 under Midwest League (MWL)
Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release


DAVENPORT, Iowa - TinCaps shortstop Jackson Merrill (No. 1 Padres prospect) tallied three hits, and outfielders Lucas Dunn and Justin Farmer each homered, but the Quad Cities River Bandits (Kansas City Royals affiliate) won a wild back-and-forth contest, 12-11, on Friday night at Modern Woodmen Park. The setback snapped Fort Wayne's four-game winning streak overall, and a stretch of five consecutive road wins dating back to last month. Nevertheless, the 'Caps are 11-6 over their last 17 games and undefeated across their last four series.

The TinCaps are still in search of their first five-game winning streak since 2019 and haven't won six straight on the road since 2010.

Quad Cities third baseman Cayden Wallace (No. 5 Royals prospect), the only player in the Midwest League with more RBIs than Fort Wayne first baseman Nathan Martorella (No. 23 Padres prospect), ended the game with a walk-off, two-run single as he fisted a flair to right field with runners at second and third.

Earlier, Merrill hit a go-ahead two-run double in the top of the eighth, putting the 'Caps in front at the time, 8-6. Then, with the score tied again, Farmer's homer also gave the TinCaps another lead later in the ninth, unlocking a tie and putting Fort Wayne ahead, 11-9.

Initially, Dunn's three-run bomb opened the scoring in the top of the first. He finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBIs and scored thrice.

Quad Cities responded with a run in the bottom of the first inning thanks to an RBI ground ball hit by right fielder Juan Carlos Negret.

Then Fort Wayne extended their lead in the third with Martorella's RBI single, but the River Bandits again responded with a run in their half of the third, making it 4-2.

The 'Caps added a run in the top of the fifth when Merrill scored on a passed ball. But Quad Cities came storming back, tying the game on shortstop Jack Pineda's two-run double. They took the lead in the seventh on designated hitter Kale Emshoff's RBI groundout and carried a 6-5 lead into the eighth.

That's when the TinCap bats exploded again, racking up four runs, highlighted by Farmer's game-tying single and Merrill's double. Center fielder Jakob Marsee (No. 22 Padres prospect) tacked on an insurance run with a two-out run-scoring single, scoring Merrill, and that made it 9-6.

But Quad Cities struck back again in the bottom of the inning when Wallace hit an opposite-field three-run homer, locking the game at 9-9 heading into the ninth.

After Farmer's go-ahead homer in the top of the ninth, second baseman Javier Vaz hit a ground ball to draw the Bandits to within a run at 11-10. Wallace, the next hitter, won the game with his two-out hit.

Farmer and Martorella each extended their hitting streaks to six games and their on-base streaks to 10. Dunn is also on a six-game hitting streak.

Friday's contest lasted three hours and 29 minutes, which is the longest game the TinCaps have played this year.

The 'Caps are now 6-16 in games decided by one or two runs.

Next Game: Saturday, June 10 @ Quad Cities (7:30 p.m. ET)

TinCaps Probable Starter: RHP Victor Lizarraga (No. 7 Padres prospect)

River Bandits Probable Starter: LHP Tyson Guerrero

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Midwest League Stories from June 9, 2023


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