TinCaps Game Information: May 31 at South Bend Cubs
Published on May 31, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release
Fort Wayne TinCaps (23-27) @ South Bend Cubs (29-17)
Sunday, May 31 | Four Winds Field | 2:05 PM | Game 51 of 132
LHP Jamie Hitt (1-1, 29.2 IP, 5.46 ERA) vs. RHP Will Sanders (0-0, 0.0 IP, 0.00 ERA)
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THE HITT OF THE TOWN: Fort Wayne southpaw Jamie Hitt will make his 8th start at the High-A level on Sunday. Hitt has gone 5.0 frames or longer in each of his last 3 outings and in 4 of his last 5 starts. The lone time he didn't hit that mark came on May 3 against the Cubs, where he allowed 3 runs in 2 1/3 innings. Hitt took home Midwest League Pitcher of the Week honors following his home start on April 25 against Wisconsin. He struck out 8 of the 16 batters that he faced and did not allow a run in 5 innings. The former Oklahoma Sooner garnered 11 swings and misses, good for 34.5%. Those 8 strikeouts are a pro-high and the most he has thrown since February 18, 2024, when he tossed 10 against Nebraska.
LOOKING TO GET RIGHT: The TinCaps aim to claim their second win of the week in today's series finale. Fort Wayne has dropped 5 of 6 once this year, the week of April 21-26, at home against Wisconsin. This series marks the first time in the last five series that the 'Caps haven't earned at least a share of a series.
COSTELLO CRUSHING: TinCaps first baseman Jack Costello collected his third double in the last two nights on Saturday. The 25-year-old has 9 this month, and leads the Midwest League in two-baggers dating back to May 9. Fourteen of Costello's 22 RBI this season have come in May. Costello set a career-high with 4 walks on Wednesday, tying a TinCaps-era record. The Fort Wayne franchise record stands at 5, done by 5 players. The 25-year-old has 4 multi-walk games this season after not having done so once all of last year. The 2024 10th-round pick of the Padres has walked 9 times in his last 5 games, and nearly has as many walks (25) in 44 games this season as he had all of last year (26 in 110 games).
THE COMEBACK 'CAPS: Fort Wayne pulled off a comeback for the ages in Friday night's 8-7 victory. It is the 13th come-from-behind win for the 'Caps this season and the first time Fort Wayne has won when trailing after seven innings. The last time Fort Wayne came back down seven to win a game was on April 22, 2025, in Lansing. The 'Caps came back to win 15-14 behind the third cycle in franchise history from Leo De Vries. Each of Fort Wayne's last five wins have been comebacks.
ONE RUN WARRIORS: Fort Wayne improved to 9-4 in one-run games following Friday night's victory. Three of the TinCaps' last four wins have been by one run. The 'Caps were 14-12 in one-run affairs in 2025.
SWEET-SWINGING ALEX MCCOY: TinCaps outfielder Alex McCoy launched his 10th home run of the season 109 mph to start the ninth-inning comeback Friday. McCoy is tied with Jake Cunningham for second in the Midwest League in home runs. The undrafted free agent out of Hofstra leads the league in doubles (18), extra-base hits (29), and total bases (100). He is tied for seventh with 50 hits, ranks fifth in SLG (.585), and tenth in OPS (.948). Two TinCaps had 18 doubles or more last season (Leo De Vries and Jack Costello), and McCoy hit the mark in 44 games. He is batting .302 (13-43) with eight extra-base hits against South Bend.
THE SPARK IS BACK: Following a 21-game on-base streak that concluded on May 3, Alex McCoy did not have a base hit for seven straight games. Since then, McCoy is second in the league with 12 extra-base hits, trailing Luke Hill of Lake County. Breaking out of the slump on May 13, he has a hit in 9 of his last 11 and 12 of his last 15, and is hitting .322. The Baltimore, Maryland native tied a career-high with 4 RBI on Sunday, June 24 vs. Dayton, and has driven in 17 across the stretch.
DUGIE KEEPS CLIMBING: Fort Wayne third baseman Rosman Verdugo hit his eighth home run of the season Thursday night. Verdugo now has 22 across his TinCaps career. The mark passes Fernando Tatis Jr. for seventh in career home runs. Verdugo is now 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 8 home runs in 2026 have come on the road. The 21-year-old has reached base safely in his last 14 games and has a hit in his last 5.
MOLDED BY CLAY: Fort Wayne closer Clay Edmondson earned his first professional win on Friday. While not qualified, Edmondson's 0.43 ERA is second in the Midwest League among arms, and all of Minor League Baseball with as many innings pitched (21.0), trailing Cam Schuelke of Lake County (0.42). The sidewinder has only allowed 1 earned run across 21.0 frames and leads MiLB with 10 saves.
Midwest League Stories from May 31, 2026
- Sunday Win at Home for Wisconsin - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Fort Wayne Falters in Quality Start from Jamie Hitt - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Kernels Lead Wire-To-Wire, Romp River Bandits 8-1 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Seventh Inning Sends Cubs to 7-5 Defeat of Fort Wayne - South Bend Cubs
- Chiefs Drop Finale at Wisconsin - Peoria Chiefs
- 'Caps Fall to Lugs, 10-1 - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Dayton Wins 3-2, Loons Drop First Road Series of 2026 - Great Lakes Loons
- Franco, Nuts Surf 'Caps to Series Victory - Lansing Lugnuts
- Stovall's Home Run Lifts Dragons to 3-2 Win; Dayton Now One Game out of First Place in Playoff Chase - Dayton Dragons
- TinCaps Game Information: May 31 at South Bend Cubs - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Late Runs Cost Sky Carp - Beloit Sky Carp
- Dayton Dragons GameDay Notes for Sunday (1:05 PM vs. Great Lakes) - Dayton Dragons
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