
TinCaps Close Trip With Shutout Win
August 22, 2021 - Midwest League (MWL)
Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release
COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. -- The TinCaps shut out the West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers affiliate), 2-0, on Sunday afternoon at LMCU Ballpark. Fort Wayne finished its road trip with three consecutive wins.
Three weekends in a row now, the TinCaps have won on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Fort Wayne (46-50) opened the scoring with two outs in the top of the fourth inning against West Michigan (45-51) left-handed starter Adam Wolf. Designated hitter Jonny Homza was hit by a pitch with one out. Then, with two away, second baseman Justin Lopez lined a 2-2 single to left field, advancing Homza to third base. After that, despite being in an 0-2 count, shortstop Chris Givin knocked a single to center to plate Homza.
The TinCaps added an insurance run in the ninth. Lopez walked, Givin bunted for a hit, and catcher Tyler Malone also walked to load the bases. Center fielder Reinaldo Ilarraza smacked a sacrifice fly to center field to bring in Lopez.
On the mound, Fort Wayne pitched its fifth shutout of the season. Left-hander Noel Vela started and retired the first nine batters he faced in order. Vela went 4 2/3 innings with three hits allowed, two walks, and four strikeouts. He left with the bases full in the fifth, but righty reliever Luke Boyd got out of the jam by getting Tigers prospect Parker Meadows to ground out to Lopez at second.
Boyd continued for a scoreless sixth, while Austin Smith worked the seventh, Ramon Perez the eighth, and Kevin Kopps closed out the ninth. For Kopps, the consensus top performer in college baseball this spring at Arkansas, it was his first save in professional baseball. He recorded a strikeout and then induced consecutive groundouts to second.
Since July 9, over their last 40 games, TinCaps pitchers have combined for the lowest ERA among all 30 High-A teams at 3.42. The club is 22-18 over this stretch, after playing eight games below .500 with a 5.26 ERA over their first 56 games of the season. Sunday's performance followed holding the Whitecaps to just one run on both Friday and Saturday nights.
Fort Wayne is off Monday before starting a six-game homestand at Parkview Field on Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds-affiliated Dayton Dragons.
Next Game: Tuesday, Aug. 24 vs. Dayton (7:05 p.m.)Fort Wayne Probable Starter: RHP Carlos Guarate (No. 15 Padres prospect)West Michigan Probable Starter: RHP Carson Spiers
Watch: Comcast Network 81 | MiLB.TV
Listen: 1380 The Fan & 100.9 FM | TinCapsRadio.com
Midwest League Stories from August 22, 2021
- Matt Chamberlain's Heroics Lift Chiefs Past Snappers - Peoria Chiefs
- Snappers Fall In Extra-Innings Duel To Chiefs on Beloit Health System Day - Beloit Sky Carp
- Hoerner Exits, Cubs Lose Series Finale vs QC - South Bend Cubs
- Second Inning Surge Powers Captains to Series Win - Lake County Captains
- Wisconsin Wins Sunday's Series Finale - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Kernels Feel the Breeze in Wisconsin Win - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Whitecaps Settle for Split in 2-0 Loss - West Michigan Whitecaps
- 6-Run 2nd Inning Lifts Captains to 8-3 Win over Dragons on Sunday - Dayton Dragons
- TinCaps Close Trip With Shutout Win - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Loons Down Lugs with Sunday Shutout - Great Lakes Loons
- Massey Homers Twice, Veneziano Tosses Five Scoreless in Bandits' Victory - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Loons Blank Lugs in Finale, 5-0 - Lansing Lugnuts
- TinCaps Game Information: August 22 at West Michigan - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Aaron Rozek Assigned to Cedar Rapids - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Dayton Dragons Game Notes for Sunday - Dayton Dragons
- Skender, New Pitchers Lead TinCaps to Win - Fort Wayne TinCaps
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Fort Wayne TinCaps Stories
- TinCaps Walked-off Once Again on the Road
- TinCaps Game Information: July 25 at Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins Affiliate)
- TinCaps Win Thursday Night Pitcher's Duel on the Road
- TinCaps Game Information: July 24 at Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins Affiliate)
- TinCaps Drop Heartbreaker in Wednesday Matinee

