MWL Fort Wayne TinCaps

Pauley Smashes 4th Homer in Last 6 Games, But Tenderloins (TinCaps) Fall in Front of Big Crowd

Published on August 4, 2023 under Midwest League (MWL)
Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release


FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Playing as the Hoosier State Tenderloins, the TinCaps fell to the Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate), 8-4, before a strong crowd of 6,527 fans on a pig-ture perfect Friday night at Parkview Field. Despite the loss, designated hitter Graham Pauley (No. 29 Padres prospect) launched his fourth blast in the last six games, continuing his hot stretch. He leads the league with 12 homers (five more than anyone else), 25 runs scored and 30 RBIs since June 29, when he was promoted along with six others from Single-A Lake Elsinore.

In fact, since June 29, Pauley is one of five hitters in both Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball to have a dozen homers. He's joined by Shoehei Ohtani (Angels), Austin Riley (Braves), and two other minor leaguers.

Left fielder Kai Murphy, who joined the club last Tuesday after a promotion from Lake Elsinore, had a pair of singles and a walk for Fort Wayne (19-15, 51-49), who stayed tied for first place in the Midwest League's Eastern Division second-half standings thanks to Dayton's loss against Beloit. The winner of the division in the second half earns a spot into the Midwest League playoffs in September. Great Lakes won the first half.

Right fielder Lucas Dunn, who has an OPS of 1.021 since June 26, which ranks second in the league, tallied an RBI for Fort Wayne with a run-producing groundout in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Great Lakes (17-17, 62-37) scored single runs in each of the first three frames, aided by four "Tenderloin" defensive miscues throughout the contest. Two of the first three runs the Loons scored were unearned.

With a 3-0 lead in the fifth, Great Lakes busted the game open with three runs in the frame, highlighted by left fielder Chris Alleyne's two-run single. They added two more in the sixth on an RBI single by third baseman Luis Diaz and scored another on a wild pitch.

Fort Wayne plated a single run in the last of the eighth, with Pauley scoring on a wild pitch. Then in the ninth, Pauley destroyed a pitch to deep right field, cutting the deficit to 8-4. The "Tenderloins" had two runners aboard later in the inning, but the rally fell short.

Thursday through Sunday, the team is wearing special jerseys and hats as the Hoosier State Tenderloins, a tribute to the state's unofficial favorite sandwich. For these games, not only is the team wearing the unique uniforms, but the center-field concourse is featuring carnival games and concession stands are offering tenderloin sandwiches. For every sandwich sold, Indiana Pork, the presenting sponsor of the weekend, is donating a meal of ground pork to the Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana.

Next Game: Saturday, August 5 vs. Great Lakes (6:35 p.m.)

Tenderloins Probable Starter: LHP Miguel Cienfuegos

Loons Probable Starter: RHP Peter Heubeck

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Midwest League Stories from August 4, 2023


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