Hitting and Base Running Woes Lead to 4-1 TinCaps Loss
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Tuesday night, the TinCaps and Whitecaps battled to a 1-1 tie through six innings of a pitcher’s duel that broke open in a three-run top of the seventh, leading to a 4-1 Whitecaps victory.
TinCaps’ starter Osvaldo Hernandez had a solid outing.
Over five innings, he struck out four, walked three, and gave up only two hits. Hernandez did allow the first run of the game in the bottom of the second, which started with a leadoff walk to Dylan Rosa. After Hernandez retired the next two batters, the number nine hitter, Garrett McCain, singled up the middle to score Rosa for a 1-0 lead.
McCain struck again in the top of the seventh.
After middle reliever Adrian Martinez put the first two batters of the inning at first and second, TinCaps manager Anthony Contreras brought in left-hander Tom Cosgrove. Following a sacrifice bunt by Jordan Pearce, McCain hit his second single to bring in two runs. Leadoff man Cole Peterson singled to move McCain to second base, and Alexis Garcia followed with a two-out single to right to bring the score to 4-1.
The TinCaps lone run came in the sixth. Jeisson Rosario reached first base on a grounder to second base that stuck in Garcia’s mitt. Rosario then stole second, and a throwing error by catcher Brady Policelli sent the ball into center, allowing Rosario to advance to third. After starter Elvin Rodriguez struck out and walked the next two batters, the Whitecaps brought in Wladimir Pinto in relief. The first batter he faced, DH Luis Campusano, cranked a towering drive that backed left fielder McCain to the wall. McCain made the catch, but Rosario tagged up for an easy run.
The sixth inning was the lone opportunity that the TinCaps had a runner on third base, and one of only three times the team had a man in scoring position. Base path woes in the middle innings also contributed to the lack of run production. In the third inning, Tirso Ornelas ripped a double to right field, but was put out trying to stretch the hit into a triple. The next batter, Campusano, singled, but was later thrown out attempting to steal. In the fifth, the TinCaps had Tre Carter and Juan Fernandez on first and second, respectively, when a two-out pitch got away from the Whitecaps’ Policelli. Carter broke for second, but Fernandez saw Policelli’s quick recovery and returned to second, leaving Carter stranded between bases. A short rundown ended the inning.
The TinCaps continue the series Wednesday with an 11:05 am (EDT) start time.
Game notes:
Announced attendance was 4,185, a large percentage of which were grade school kids reaping the reward of their schools’ reading programs…. Whitecaps catcher Policelli walked in his first three plate appearances and finished the night 0-for-1 after a seventh inning flyout….Esteury Ruiz had a solid night defensively, highlighted by getting the last out of the fourth inning on a deep grounder up the middle. Ruiz fielded the ball behind second base and made an accurate throw from his knees to get the batter at first.
Ken A. Bugajski lives and works in Fort Wayne, Indiana. An English professor by trade, he spends many summer nights with his wife and daughter at Parkview Field, home of the TinCaps.