MWL Fort Wayne TinCaps

TinCaps Game Information: August 21 at West Michigan

August 21, 2021 - Midwest League (MWL)
Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release


Fort Wayne TinCaps (44-50) @ West Michigan Whitecaps (45-49)

Saturday, Aug. 21 (7:05 p.m.) | LMCU Ballpark | Comstock Park, Mich. | Game 5 of 6 in Series | Road Game 47 of 60 | Game 95 of 120

RHP Gabe Mosser (4.07 ERA) vs. RHP Brendan White (3.96 ERA)

Audio: 1380TheFan.com (John Nolan & Mike Maahs) / Video: MiLB.TV

LAST NIGHT: The TinCaps snapped a 3-game skid with a dominant 11-1 win over the Whitecaps. The top performer in college baseball in 2021, relief pitcher Kevin Kopps of Arkansas, made his High-A debut with a scoreless eighth.

PLAYOFF PICTURE: We're in the final quarter of the Minor League Baseball schedule. The regular season ends on Sept. 19. The clubs with the 2 best records in the 12-team High-A Central will meet in a best-of-5 championship. Entering tonight, the Quad Cities River Bandits are in first place at 62-30. The Cedar Rapids Kernels have the second-best record at 53-41. The TinCaps are 9 games back of the Kernels with 26 games remaining. In terms of the East Division, just for bragging rights, Fort Wayne is 6 back of both the Dayton Dragons and Lake County Captains (50-44).

PITCHING IMPROVING: Over their last 38 games since July 9, TinCaps pitchers have the second lowest ERA out of all 30 teams in High-A at 3.58, as the team has gone 20-18. Over their first 56 games, they ranked 10th/12 in High-A Central at 5.26, and had a 24-32 record. In this time, 'Caps pitchers have allowed the fewest homers in High-A: 18.

DOUBLES LEADER: As a team, the TinCaps lead the HAC in doubles with 176. Individually, outfielder Tirso Ornelas leads the league in 2B with 26.

PATIENT APPROACH: The TinCaps trail only Wisconsin in the HAC in free passes (walks and hit by pitches), averaging about 5 per game. Fort Wayne is walking in approximately 12% of its plate appearances. The rest of the league has walked at a 10% rate. For more context, the Yankees lead MLB in BB% (10.9%). The Padres rank 3rd (10%).

LITTLE POWER: Outfielder Grant Little hit his first MiLB home run Friday night. Little hit 14 homers over 2 seasons at Texas Tech, including 12 in his final year before being drafted by the Padres. This past winter he hit 2 homers in 21 games in the Australian Baseball League with the Adelaide Giants. Friday was the 168th game of his MiLB career.

ZACK IS BACK: Third baseman Zack Mathis played Friday for the first time since Wednesday, Aug. 11 against South Bend when he was hit by a pitch in the head.

HOT SHEET: First baseman Yorman Rodriguez has reached base safely in 6 consecutive games, while infielder Justin Lopez has hit safely in 6 in a row... Tyler Malone has reached safely in 15 of the 17 games he's played with the TinCaps. Of his 10 hits, he has 5 doubles and a homer...Ethan Skender has reached safely in 17 consecutive starts. Since July 23, he's batted .333 with a .466 OBP and .957 OPS (4 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homer, 9 RBIs).

FIRST IN RIGHT: Luis Almanzar played right field Friday for the first time in his MiLB career. This season Almanzar has played 47 games at first base. In prior seasons with Fort Wayne he also has played third base. At the short-season and rookie levels he's played second base, shortstop, and 5 games in left field in the AZL in 2019.

REY RUNS: Reinaldo Ilarraza ranks 5th in the HAC in stolen bases (30).

CATCH 'EM ALL: Adam Kerner leads High-A Central catchers in caught stealings with 25. He's done that in 46 starts behind the plate.

CLOSE CALLS: The TinCaps are 12-7 in games decided by 1 run, and 7-10 in 2-run games... The 'Caps are 3-1 in extra-innings.

260 TO THE SHOW: 52 former Fort Wayne players have appeared in the big leagues so far this season, including All-Stars Fernando Tatis Jr. and Trea Turner. Since the franchise was founded in 1993, a total of 197 past players have ascended to The Show.

Check out the Fort Wayne TinCaps Statistics



Midwest League Stories from August 21, 2021


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