Offensive Fireworks Leads to TinCaps’ 7-0 Victory
Ben Sheckler pitches in the top of the 8th. Photo by Ken Bugajski / EVTimes.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
In MacKenzie Gore’s longest starting effort this season and his first win as a professional, the TinCaps bats provided an early spark that led to a 7-0 shutout of the Great Lakes Loons.
The TinCaps took a commanding lead in the bottom of the second.
Leading off the inning, Esteury Ruiz was hit by a pitch and then stole second. Justin Lopez hit a slow, short grounder that advanced Ruiz to third base. Gabriel Arias followed with a single that made it just past the Loons’ diving second baseman to score Ruiz. Luis Almanzar singled as well, and Jalen Washington walked to load the bases. After a fielder’s choice force out at home, Robbie Podorsky smacked a two-out triple to the right field wall, increasing the lead to 4-0.
The TinCaps added a run in the third, fourth, and seventh innings.
In the third, Lopez crushed the ball, sending it far over the left field fence for a two-out home run. In the next at-bat, Luis Almanzar led off with a single. Hitting in the number nine spot, Jalen Washington doubled into the center-left field hole, bringing Almanzar all the way around from first. The final run came in the seventh, when Tirso Ornelas, Campusano, and Ruiz hit three consecutive singles; as a result, Ruiz bookended the offense, scoring the first run and getting the last RBI of the game.
Gore pitched well, going six innings for the first time this season. He had good control and maintained pitch speeds in the mid-90’s throughout his start. Gore shut down Loons hitters, allowing only four hits, with no inning having more than one. Gore averaged one strikeout per inning, and walked two.
The TinCaps bullpen continued the strong pitching effort. Ben
Sheckler gave up one hit in two innings of work, and Fred Schlichtholz closed the game, retiring the side three-up, three-down in the ninth.
Game Notes:
Announced attendance was 8,805
Eight of nine TinCaps’ batters had at least one hit; Podorsky and Almanzar both had two-hit games
In addition to a single and scoring a run, Ruiz had two stolen bases
In the top of the eight, Podorsky made a SCTop10-worthy diving catch in left-center field
The TinCaps wore red, white, and blue jerseys that were auctioned to fans to raise over $7,600 for Honor Flight of Northeast Indiana.
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.