
TinCaps Game Information: July 3 vs. Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers Affiliate)
Published on July 4, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release
Fort Wayne TinCaps (33-46, 6-7) vs. Great Lakes Loons (45-31, 9-3)
Saturday, July 4 | Parkview Field | 6:05 PM | Game 80 of 132
RHP Bryan Balzer (0-1, 3.2 IP, 14.73 ERA) vs. RHP Brooks Auger (1-1, 37.0 IP, 2.19 ERA)
WATCH: Bally Sports Live, MLB.TV, MLB+ | LISTEN: 1380 The Fan & 100.9 FM & TinCaps.com/Listen
Game Notes | 2026 TinCaps Media Guide | TinCaps.com/Pressbox
FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS: The City of Fort Wayne announced that the top of the Harrison Square parking garage that's attached to Parkview Field in downtown Fort Wayne will be the location for this year's Fourth of July fireworks show on Saturday, July 4. The fireworks show is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m., with ticketed fans being able to watch the display. Tickets will be sold even after the game for fans hoping to watch the fireworks display. The top six highest single-game attendances in franchise history are all on the Fourth of July, and the 250th anniversary of American Independence is on the brink of breaking the TinCaps' single-game attendance record of 9,508.
A TRADITION UNLIKE ANY OTHER: Fourth of July festivities return to Parkview Field this summer after a brief hiatus in 2025. This year's celebration of America's 250th birthday is expected to draw a massive crowd, potentially ranking among the highest-attended games in the venue's history. Historically, the stadium's top six attendance records have all been set on the Fourth of July, with the current record holding strong at 9,508 fans since 2019.
9,508 - July 4, 2019 (vs. LC)
9,337 - July 4, 2024 (vs. LAN)
9,266 - July 4, 2017 (vs. LC)
9,193 - July 4, 2015 (vs. DAY)
9,182 - July 4, 2014 (vs. WM)
9,026 - July 4, 2016 (vs. SB)
9,015 - June 26, 2014 (vs. DAY)
8,825 - July 3, 2025 (vs. LAN)
8,805 - July 4, 2018 (vs. GL)
8,780 - July 4, 2013 (vs. SB)
PACKING PARKVIEW: Another Thirsty Thursday meant another raucous crowd at Parkview Field. Among 60 games played Thursday, Fort Wayne had the second-largest crowd in Minor League Baseball, totalling 6,150. This comes after Thursday, June 18, when Parkview Field sat 7,901 fans, also the second-largest in all of Minor League Baseball and the largest announced TinCaps attendance on a non-July 4th Thursday since 2018.
ANOTHER FUTURE STAR: On Wednesday, Major League Baseball announced the rosters for the 2026 MLB All-Star Futures Game, presented by Nike, on Sunday, July 12, at Citizens Bank Park, including Fort Wayne TinCaps left-handed pitcher Kash Mayfield. This marks the fifth-straight season an active TinCaps player has appeared in the Futures Game. Fort Wayne is one of only two out of 30 High-A teams to have had a player selected for this showcase each year since 2022. Outfielder Robert Hassell III became the first active player to represent Fort Wayne in 2022, before Jackson Merrill appeared in 2023. This year's rosters also include Padres No. 1 prospect Ethan Salas (2024) and Athletics No. 1 prospect Leo De Vries (2025), both of whom return to the showcase after representing Fort Wayne in their respective seasons with the club. Including Mayfield, the Midwest League will have nine players who have donned an MWL team's jersey this season in the event. Fans can watch other top prospects on the national stage live on NBC.
JACK ATTACK: Fort Wayne left fielder Jack Costello hit his eighth home run of the season in the sixth inning on Friday night. Costello has a hit in his last five games, slashing.333/.368/.556 with a .924 OPS in the stretch. 12 of Costello's 14 doubles this season have come since May 9, ranking him fourth in the Midwest League in that stretch. Costello is 3rd in the MWL since the start of 2025 with 9 of his 18 home runs against left-handed pitching, one behind his own teammate, Jake Cunningham.
THE WORLD OF WIDEMAN: TinCaps outfielder Ryan Wideman gave Fort Wayne the lead for good after his two-run single in the fourth inning on Friday. He immediately stole both second and third on back-to-back pitches before making a SportsCenter Top 10 grab in center field the next inning. The Padres 2025 third-round draft choice has a hit in 8 of his first 9 games with Fort Wayne since being promoted last Tuesday, including a 2-for-4 showing last Friday against Lake County. Wideman leads all of Minor League Baseball with 49 stolen bases.
JD JUST DOING IT: Fort Wayne shortstop Justin DeCriscio clobbered his seventh home run of the season in the seventh inning on Friday night. DeCriscio homered in consecutive games last week in Eastlake on Friday and Saturday after doing so on June 12 & 13 at Day Air Ballpark against Dayton. The 23-year-old finished a double shy of the cycle last Friday on the road and has the only grand slam hit by a TinCap this season (June 12). DeCriscio has reached base safely in 12 of his last 14 games dating back to June 18. He is slashing .263/.333/.491 with a .824 OPS in the stretch with 3 home runs, 2 doubles, a triple, and 8 RBI. Five of DeCriscio's 7 home runs have come away from Parkview Field this season, with last night's shot being his first at home since May 20 against Dayton.
KT WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD: TinCaps outfielder Kavares Tears clobbered a pair of home runs Wednesday. It is the fourth multi-homer game by a TinCap this season, and the first from a 'Cap not named Jake Cunningham. His 10th and eleventh home runs, Tears is one of four 'Caps to reach double-digit homers. Tears is 2nd in the Midwest League with 15 extra-base hits (5 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR) since May 31. Playing 20 games, Tears has hit .296 with a 1.128 OPS in the stretch. He ranks 3rd in HR (8), 7th in total bases (54), and SLG (.761). Tears leads the Midwest League with seven first-pitch home runs this season and is tied for fourth in Minor League Baseball. He is hitting .533 (16-30) when putting the ball in play on the first pitch of an at-bat.
SWEET-SWINGING ALEX MCCOY: TinCaps slugger Alex McCoy finished Friday night's game going 1-for-4 with his Midwest League-leading 22nd double of the season. McCoy put together his third two-hit showing in the last two weeks and his team-leading 20th multi-hit game on Thursday. The No. 19 Padres prospect is the active team leader in home runs (12) and RBI (41) in 71 games this season. Along with leading the league in doubles, McCoy is 2nd in extra-base hits (35), fourth in total bases (133) and sixth in hits (73).
ROSMAN RAKING: TinCaps infielder Rosman Verdugo doubled twice on Thursday night, giving him seven two-baggers on the season. Verdugo has five hits in his last four games, including another two-hit showing last Friday against Lake County. The 21-year-old hit his 11th home run of the season on Friday, giving him a round-tripper in consecutive Fridays after having one last week at home against South Bend. Verdugo now has 25 across his TinCaps career, tying Tom Knauss (1993-94, 96-97) for seventh in franchise history. Verdugo is the 10th player in Fort Wayne franchise history to hit the 20-career home run mark. After leading the 'Caps with 13 home runs in 2025, 9 of Verdugo's 11 home runs in 2026 have come on the road.
Midwest League Stories from July 4, 2026
- Fort Wayne Walks-off Great Lakes in All-Time Classic - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Mitchell's Walk-off Double Clinches Bandits' Series Win over Kernels - Quad Cities River Bandits
- TinCaps 13, Loons 12 in 14-Inning Edition of America's Pastime on Fourth of July - Great Lakes Loons
- Chiefs Celebrate the Fourth with Shutout Win - Peoria Chiefs
- Rattlers Shut out by Peoria - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- 'Caps Fall on Fourth, 6-5 - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Lugnuts Edge Dragons, 4-3, on Fourth of July in Dayton - Dayton Dragons
- Sprague-Lott Tops Dragons, 4-3 - Lansing Lugnuts
- River Bandits Win Completed Game, 15-9, Walk-off July Fourth Game, 4-3 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- South Bend Back in the 'W' Column, Cubs Win Resumption of Suspended Game, 7-3 - South Bend Cubs
- Dragons Players Earn Reds Organization's Monthly Awards for June - Dayton Dragons
- Dayton Dragons GameDay Notes for Saturday (7:05 PM vs. Lansing) - Dayton Dragons
- TinCaps Game Information: July 3 vs. Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers Affiliate) - Fort Wayne TinCaps
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