TinCaps Game Information: June 9 at Dayton Dragons (Reds Affiliate)
MWL Fort Wayne TinCaps

TinCaps Game Information: June 9 at Dayton Dragons (Reds Affiliate)

Published on June 9, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release


Fort Wayne TinCaps (24-33) @ Dayton Dragons (31-26)

Tuesday, June 9 | Day Air Ballpark | 7:05 PM | Game 58 of 132

RHP Matthew Watson (0-3, 29.1 IP, 4.30 ERA) vs. RHP Jose Montero (1-0, 20.1 IP, 3.98 ERA)

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ROUND ll: The TinCaps make their lone trip this season to Day Air Ballpark to start a six-game series. The two clubs split their first series of the season, May 19-24 at Parkview Field. The set featured the TinCaps first walk-off home run in nearly two seasons. First baseman Jack Costello launched a three-run walk-off homer in the ninth inning in the 3-2 comeback win on May 22 of that first series. The round-tripper was Costello's fifth of the year and first walk-off blast for Fort Wayne since Joshua Mears did so on June 21, 2024, against Wisconsin. Dayton will return to Parkview Field for the final home series of the regular season, the week of August 25-30, making it the second consecutive season where the TinCaps have hosted the Dragons to conclude their home schedule.

260 TO THE SHOW: Former TinCap Brandon Valenzuela launched his 3rd home run in his last 4 starts in a 6-4 Blue Jays win on Sunday. Valenzuela became the 236th player in Fort Wayne Minor League history to make his MLB debut on April 5 and was the first former TinCap to make his debut in 2026. He played in 153 games with the TinCaps spanning from 2021 to 2023, with his longest stint coming in 2022 when he logged time in 99 games with the franchise. The 25-year-old is slashing .252/.338/.471 with a .809 OPS in 44 games this year.

WATTY WORKING: Fort Wayne right-hander Matthew Watson punched out a career-high seven batters in his fifth professional start last Tuesday against Lake County. Watson retired 14 of his final 15 batters faced, and each of his final 10, including his final four via strikeout. The righty has gone 5.0 innings in his last 3 starts. The 24-year-old made his professional debut against Lake County at Classic Auto Group Park on April 17, where he punched out a pair across 1 1/3 frames in relief. Watson then made his first professional start on May 6 in the first game of a doubleheader at home against Beloit. He tossed four scoreless innings against the Sky Carp and fired just 48 pitches.

FLIPPING THE SCRIPT: The 'Caps' walk-off win last Tuesday marked their first Tuesday win of the 2026 season. Before last night, Fort Wayne was 0-7 this season on Tuesdays and 1-8 in series openers. Opponents had out-scored Fort Wayne 49-17 in Tuesday contests before the win.

DUGIE KEEPS CLIMBING: Fort Wayne third baseman Rosman Verdugo hit his ninth home run of the season on Saturday. Verdugo now has 23 across his TinCaps career, passing Fernando Tatis Jr. for seventh in career home runs, and is two shy of Tom Knauss (1993-94, 96-97) for sixth. 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, 7 of Verdugo's 9 home runs in 2026 have come on the road. The 21-year-old has reached base safely in his last 20 games, the third stretch by a TinCap where that feat has been accomplished in 2026. Verdugo has a hit in 10 of his last 11.

MAKING HISTORY: TinCaps outfielder Jake Cunningham tied a franchise record, hitting three home runs on Friday night. Cunningham is the 4th player in Fort Wayne franchise history to hit three long balls in a contest, being the first to do so since Robert Hassell III did so in 2021. Hassell's was the first by a TinCap since Jonathan Galvez hit three on July 22, 2010, vs. Peoria. The only Wizard to accomplish the feat was Jon Benick (July 3, 2002, vs. Quad Cities). Cunningham had as many home runs on Friday as he did in 76 games in High-A Aberdeen in 2025 and is now second in the Midwest League with 14. The 23-year-old began the scoring with a three-run home run in the first, then followed it up with a two-run blast in the third, and capped it off with a solo home run in the fifth. The total distance of the three home runs was 1,184 feet, 22.4% of a mile.

CUNNINGHAM CLOBBERING: Fort Wayne slugger Jake Cunningham drove in a career-high 6 runs off his three long balls on Friday night. His 14 home runs are the most on the team and rank second in the Midwest League. Cunningham combined for 8 HR in his first three seasons (674 PA) in the Orioles system. He passed that number with HR No. 9 in his 136th plate appearance this season. Among hitters with as many plate appearances in the league dating back to May 26, Cunningham leads the pack in home runs (7), total bases (33), and SLG (.825). The former 5th round pick of the Orioles has all 3 multi-homer games for a TinCap this season, with two of them coming against Lake County. The only other game of his playing career was in college with UNC Charlotte on May 15, 2022, at Florida Atlantic.

TUCK'S THE MAN: Fort Wayne flamethrower Tucker Musgrove has struck out 32 batters across 15 innings pitched out of the bullpen. The No. 9 Padres prospect has the highest K/9 rate (19.20) in all of baseball among arms with at least 10 IP. The 2023 seventh-round pick has allowed two runs across his last 11 appearances. Musgrove has 25 strikeouts and walked 6 across this stretch, giving him a 4.17 K/BB ratio. His 1.54 ERA ranks 9th among Midwest League bullpen arms with as many innings tossed since the stretch started on April 29.

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