Homers Not Enough in 1-Run Loss at Bowling Green

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Fort Wayne homered twice Friday night at Bowling Green Ballpark, but it wasn't enough in a 3-2 loss to the Hot Rods.

The TinCaps took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a two-out, home run off the bat of Trae Santos. It was the first baseman's fourth home run of the season and third in the last five games. Fort Wayne, however, wouldn't record another hit until the seventh inning. That was when third baseman Duanel Jones blasted his team-leading sixth longball of the year to tie the game, 2-2.

Over seven innings, Bowling Green starter Chris Pike (W, 5-1) didn't allow any baserunners -- those homers withstanding. The 22-year-old right-hander struck out seven and didn't walk a single batter. His defense didn't commit any errors behind him either. 

In between those TinCaps homers, the Hot Rods scored twice in the fifth inning to take a 2-1 lead at the time. That was all Bowling Green (21-14) did against T.J. Weir in his first start of the season. Weir went 4 1/3 innings and fanned four. 

Yimmi Brasoban (L, 0-2) ended up with the loss after the Hot Rods scored an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh. Cristian Toribio led the frame off with a single. He then scored when Thomas Milone hit a bouncer back to the mound that Brasoban threw wildly to first base, allowing Toribio to score from first. 

The TinCaps play game two of their three-game series with the Hot Rods on Saturday at 8:05 p.m. Left-hander Thomas Dorminy (2-3, 6.00) is set to start for Fort Wayne against righty Enderson Franco (3-1, 3.21). The game can be heard on ESPN Radio 1380, TinCaps.com, and the TuneIn Radio app.