MWL1 Fort Wayne TinCaps

TinCaps Game Notes: June 2 vs. Great Lakes (Game 55)

June 2, 2019 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release


Fort Wayne TinCaps (26-28, 5th East) vs. Great Lakes Loons (34-19, 1st East)

RHP Efraín Contreras vs. RHP Stephen Kolek

Sunday, June 2 - Parkview Field (Fort Wayne, Ind.) - First Pitch 1:05 PM (Game 55 / 138)

WATCH: Evan Stockton & Brett Rump (Comcast Network 81 & MiLB.TV)

LISTEN: Mike Maahs (ESPN Radio 1380 & 100.9 FM | TinCapsRadio.com | TuneIn)

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The TinCaps lost 11-0 to Great Lakes on Saturday night. The Loons pounded out 11 runs on 10 hits, including three home runs. Carlos Belen tossed a solid relief outing for the 'Caps, surrendering just one hit in two scoreless innings while fanning three batters.

BURNIN' UP: The 'Caps have won 11 of their last 17 games dating back to May 16. Pitching has propelled Fort Wayne during this stretch. Entering Saturday night's game, the TinCaps led the Midwest League in WHIP (1.17), had the second best ERA (3.09) and had allowed the second fewest earned runs allowed (46). Fort Wayne had also surrendered the fewest walks (36) since May 16.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE: Improved hitting has also helped during this successful stretch: entering Saturday's game, Fort Wayne led the Midwest League in doubles (36), was 5th in BA (.263), and was 6th in OBP (.337) and SLG% (.392) since May 16. The TinCaps had also struck out the fewest times in the league (110) during that span.

X IS A FACTOR: Infielder Xavier Edwards not only leads the MWL in batting average (.366- no one else is batting better than .326), he ranks in the top ten of all of Minor League Baseball. The only big leaguer with a better average than Edwards is the Dodgers' Cody Bellinger (.379). Edwards also leads the MWL in OBP (.424) and hits (68).

MORE ON X: Edwards has the lowest swinging strike % in the league, as he's swung and missed at only 3.4% of the pitches he's seen. His K% of 10.1% is the 4th lowest in the league. With 20 walks to 22 strikeouts, Edwards' 0.95 BB/K ratio is the 4th best in the MWL. Xavier has made a living on swinging early in the count: he's posted a BA of .548 this season on the first pitch of an at bat (best on the TinCaps), and 23 of his league-leading 68 hits have come while swinging at the first pitch of the at bat.

LOPEZ LOCKED IN: Infielder Justin Lopez, who turned 19 on May 9, has had a solid few weeks. In 21 games since May 11, Lopez has slashed

.247/.307/.506. His power numbers have been great, with nine extra-base hits (2 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers) and 15 RBIs.

HUNTING HITS: After a sluggish start to the season, Blake Hunt is starting to turn it around at the plate. Hunt went 0-3 on Saturday night, but was robbed twice of base hits on hard-hit balls. The 20-year-old catcher had hits in five straight games since May 26 (9-20) with four doubles and three RBIs. Hunt went 2-for-5 on Friday night with another double and a run scored.

IN CONTROL: TinCaps pitchers have the best ratio of strikeouts to walks in the MWL this season. Fort Wayne pitchers are averaging 3.01 strikeouts for every walk (156 walks, 471 strikeouts). 'Caps pitchers have also walked the fewest batters in the MWL.

ROSTER MOVES: Infielder Luis Almanzar was placed on the 7-Day IL Saturday, while catcher Luis Roman was transferred to Fort Wayne from Extended Spring Training.

AUSTIN POWERS: Right-handed reliever Austin Smith tossed a gem in relief on Friday night, going 3.2 hitless and scoreless innings with five strikeouts and just one walk. The former second round pick now has a 2.00 ERA in nine relief outings this season (18.0 IP) with 18 strikeouts and four walks. Smith also owns a 0.83 WHIP.

DWS EQUALS RBIs: Outfielder Dwanya Williams-Sutton smacked a three-run home run and also drove in another run via an RBI double on Friday night, marking his first four RBI game of the season. "DWS" had gone 1 for his last 18 at the plate (with 10 strikeouts) prior to his big night on Friday.

Check out the Fort Wayne TinCaps Statistics



Midwest League Stories from June 2, 2019


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