TinCaps pull away in series opener

Dan Robertson had three hits, including an RBI single in a three-run sixth inning Tuesday that carried the Fort Wayne TinCaps to a 6-2 triumph over the Burlington Bees in Game 1 of the Midwest League Championship Series.

With the score tied, 2-2, Cole Figueroa greeted reliever Justin Garcia (0-1) with a leadoff double in the sixth, took third on a groundout and scored the go-ahead run on Justin Baum's double. Robert Lara walked and back-to-back singles by Blake Tekotte and Robertson made it 5-2.

Robertson also led off the bottom of the first with a single, stole second and scored Fort Wayne's first run on Vincent Belnome's RBI groundout.

Erik Davis (1-1), who shared the Midwest League lead with 16 wins, notched his first postseason victory. After failing to make it out of the third inning in a first-round loss to South Bend, he limited the Bees to two runs on six hits with five strikeouts over six frames.

Three relievers combined on three hitless innings, with Brad Brach fanning two in the ninth in a non-save situation.

Robert Lara, whose walk-off homer sent the TinCaps to the best-of-5 Finals, went 1-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored. Baum, who had seven RBIs against Great Lakes in the semifinals, has driven in a run in four straight games.

Anthony Ortiz had two hits, a stolen base and a run scored for Burlington. Bees starter Tim Melville did not figure in the decision after giving up two runs on five hits in five innings.

Game 2 is Wednesday in Fort Wayne.