Doubleheader Split at Lansing
August 29, 2024 - Midwest League (MWL)
Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release
LANSING, MI. - The Fort Wayne offense dominated game one of Wednesday night's doubleheader against the Lansing Lugnuts (Oakland A's affiliate) for a 9-5 victory but fell flat in game two in a 2-1 loss at Jackson Field.
In game one of the doubleheader, the TinCaps offense popped for five runs in the first inning. The first five hitters of the game reached base, including Ethan Salas (No. 1 Padres prospect) with an RBI double. After Devin Ortiz walked to load the bases, Tyler Robertson drew another walk to bring in the second run of the game. Soon after, Jacob Campbell grounded out and knocked in a run to make it 3-0. An RBI double from Nerwilian Cedeño and an RBI single from Wyatt Hoffman put two more runs on the board to end the first half-inning with a 5-0 lead.
Lansing (25-31, 57-64) didn't go down easy. The Lugnuts put one run across in the first on an RBI single from Nate Nankil but didn't stop there. The 'Nuts tacked on three more in the second with a sacrifice fly from Danny Bautista Jr. and a two-run single by Ryan Lasko (No. 30 A's prospect) to make it 5-4.
Fort Wayne (20-36, 48-74) entered the fourth inning with just a one-run advantage but continued to swing the bats well. Nick Vogt and Hoffman led off with a pair of singles and Kai Murphy walked to load the bases. For the second time in game one, Lansing starter Wander Guante walked a batter with the bases full, issuing a free pass to Rosman Verdugo. That gave the 'Caps a 6-4 lead with Salas up to bat. The TinCaps catcher grounded out to bring Vogt in to score and put Fort Wayne in front 7-4.
After giving up a run in the fifth, the TinCaps gave themselves a bigger cushion in the sixth. RBI knocks from Salas and Robertson extended the Fort Wayne lead to 9-5. Salas finished game one 2-for-4 with three RBIs. The pair of base hits improved the 18-year-old's on-base streak to 18 games with 15 RBIs and 10 doubles in that span. Robertson went 3-for-3 in the first leg of the doubleheader.
To finish the job, Manuel Castro entered in the sixth inning and notched six outs to hold the 'Caps 9-5 lead and give them their third straight victory.
Game two was a different story. The second leg of the doubleheader didn't see a score until the sixth inning. Enmanuel Pinales didn't allow a run through five innings but finally budged in the sixth when Nate Nankil hit an RBI double to put the Lugnuts up 1-0.
In the seventh, the 'Caps battled back. While trailing by a run, Ortiz led off with a walk. After a pair of flyouts, Vogt came up to hit. During Vogt's at-bat, Ortiz moved up to second on a wild pitch. Down to his final strike, Vogt hit an RBI single that scored Ortiz to tie the game.
In the bottom of the seventh, Josh Kuroda-Grauer (No. 13 A's prospect) led off with a double. The next batter, Bautista Jr., singled to move Kuroda-Grauer to third and then CJ Rodriguez hit a walk-off single to knock him in and win the game 2-1.
The TinCaps have dropped 27 games this season by one run, tied with Double-A Reading (Phillies) for the most in Minor League Baseball.
Next Game: Thursday, Aug. 29 @ Lansing (7:05pm)
TinCaps Probable Starter: LHP Jagger Haynes (No. 21 Padres prospect)
Lugnuts Probable Starter: RHP Jake Garland
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