Late Rally Dooms TinCaps in 5-4 Loss
EVT Sports
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Even with a strong start from Omar Cruz, the Lake County Captains mounted a late-inning rally to take the series finale over the TinCaps 5-4.
The TinCaps held a 4-2 lead going into the eighth when reliever Henry Henry took the mound. With one out, Jesse Berardi launches a blast over the left field fence to bring the captains within one. Hosea followed with a double, and with two outs, Josh Rolette single to left to even the score. Cody Farhat followed with a triple to the deep right corner; Rolette came home easily to give the Captains a 5-4 lead.
Cruz had a strong outing for the TinCaps, giving up two runs on four hits; he also struck out eight while giving up only one base on balls. His threw his fastball in the low 90s throughout his five innings. Cody Tyler pitched two innings of relief, keeping the Captains off the board and striking out 2.
Lake County got on the board first, scoring two runs in the top of the second. The TinCaps responded in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Grant Little drew a one-out walk. Juan Fernandez doubled to the left field corner, and Little slid into home as the relay from the shortstop sailed over the catcher’s head. Fernandez moved to third on the throwing error, and two batters later, Lee Solomon singled to even the score at 2-2.
The game remained deadlocked until the bottom of the sixth when the TinCaps moved into the lead. Dwanya Williams-Sutton led off hitting the ball up the middle that deflected off the pitcher’s glove, and Williams-Sutton beat out the throw for an infield single.
Michael Curry followed with a walk, and Little put down an excellent sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third. Fernandez came through again, singling up the middle to bring in both Williams-Sutton and Curry for a 4-2 lead.
After the Captains took the lead in the eighth, reliever Skylar Arias shut down the Tincaps’ offense for the remaining two at-bats, allowing only one baserunner and striking out four.
The Captains took the series 3-1. Saturday, the TinCaps head to Midland, Michigan to take on the Great Lakes Loons, who swept a three-game series with the TinCaps last weekend.
GAME NOTES
Announced attendance was 7,228.
Fernandez was the offensive hero of the night as he figured in all of the TinCaps’ scoring, with 3 RBIs and a run scored.
Along with Fernandez, Xavier Edwards had the only other multiple-hit night; both went 2-for-4.
Cruz improved the further he went in the game. After the two-run second inning, he gave up only one more hit.
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.