MacKenzie Gore and TinCaps’ Bats Combine for 5-1 Win

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Jack Suwinski homered for the second game in a row, and MacKenzie Gore had a solid start in the TinCaps’ 5-1 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps.

Gore pitched six innings, giving up one run and six hits.

It was a bit of a slow start for the prospect, as he faced at least four batters in each of the first three innings. The Whitecaps only run came in the third, with nine-spot batter Luke Sherley leading off with a single and following with a stolen base to get in scoring position. With one out, Kody Clemens slapped a grounder up the middle for a base hit that brought in Sherley. Brock Detherage then had his second infield hit of the night, putting runners on first and third with only one out—but Gore pitched out of the jam. He caught Detherage breaking early for second and threw for the pickoff. First baseman Nick Feight relayed the ball to second base for the easy put out. Gore then recorded a strikeout the end the inning.

After the third, Gore only strengthened, retiring nine of ten in innings four through six, and striking out four of the last eleven Whitecaps he faced. With strong support from the offense, Gore recorded the second professional win of his career.

As on Monday night, the TinCaps grabbed a first-inning lead as three consecutive singles from Owen Miller, Suwinski, and Feight produced a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, Olivier Basabe, who left last night’s game in the first inning, doubled off the left field wall and moved to third on a Miller groundout. Suwinski then hit a deep sacrifice to right to bring in Basabe.

Suwinski struck again in sixth, launching his second home run in as many games. According to Journal-Gazette reporter Dylan Sinn (@DylanSinn), the blast to right-center field traveled 395 feet.

In contrast to Monday’s game, the TinCaps continued to produce runs in later innings. In addition to Suwinski’s homer, the offense added insurance runs in the last two at-bats, including a textbook run in the seventh. Catcher Jalen Washington led off with a double and then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Aldemar Burgos. Jeisson Rosario followed with a sacrifice to left field that was just deep enough for Washington to slide safely into home. In the eighth, Miller, who scored the first run in the first, came around from second on an Esteury Ruiz single to score the game’s final run.

Austin Smith and Fred Schlichtholz pitched one and two innings of relief, respectively, to close out the game. They combined for two walks, only one hit, and four K’s.

With the victory, the TinCaps took the four-game series from the Whitecaps 3-1 and are now tied with West Michigan for the first playoff spot of the second half with nineteen games left in the regular season.

The TinCaps open a three-game set against the South Bend Cubs on Wednesday. The Midwest League leader in ERA, Osvaldo Hernandez, is expected to be on the mound for the home team.

Game Notes:

Announced attendance was 3,860

The TinCaps have won three in a row, and following a day off last Tuesday, five of their last seven

Three TinCaps had multiple hit games: Miller, Suwinski, and Ruiz, who went 3-for-4 on the night.

Ken A. Bugajski

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.