Fort Wayne Clinches Playoff Berth
(Fort Wayne, IN) - The Fort Wayne TinCaps (40-23) clinched a berth to the Midwest League Playoffs with a 7-4 win over the Lake County Captains (20-41). The TinCaps have won nine straight games and 15 of their last 16 games. With the loss Lake County has now dropped seven straight games.
Lake County scored first. In the top of the second inning, with two outs and two on, Jorge Martinez doubled to left field and the Captains were up 2-0. Fort Wayne answered with three runs in their half of the third. The big hit was a two run triple from Wynton Bernard. Bernard ended the game with three RBI. Bernard scored on a sacrifice fly from Brian Adams. Fort Wayne led 3-2.
Lake County tied the ballgame in the third when Logan Vick hit a sac fly that allowed Dorssys Paulino to score from third. The score was even at 3-3. It became 5-3 in the bottom of the third when Diego Goris singled home Maxx Tissenbaum. Goris scored on another RBI hit, this time a single, from Bernard.
In the fourth, Brian Adams singled to lead off the inning and later scored on a double by Alberth Martinez and the score was 6-3 Fort Wayne. It became 7-3 when Tissenbaum ripped a double down the left field line in the sixth. The two bagger scored Mallex Smith.
Lake County scored their final run in the eighth inning. Logan Vick doubled, and advanced to third on an error. Anthony Santander then singled to right field and Vick crossed home plate to make the score 7-4. That was the final.
The Captains sent LHP Ryan Merritt (3-6) to the mound to start the ballgame. Merritt got the loss. Ryan twirled five innings and allowed eleven hits, six runs, four earned runs, and one hit batter. Merritt struck out three. Benny Suarez pitched two innings and allowed three hits and one earned run. Suarez fanned four. Felix Sterling pitched one inning and allowed two hits but did not allow a run.
Fort Wayne turned to RHP Zach Eflin (3-4) to start the game. Eflin earned the win. Zach pitched six innings, scattered seven hits, and allowed three runs. Of the three runs, only one was earned. Eflin walked two and struck out five. Matthew Shepherd and Roman Madrid entered in relief. Shepherd allowed just one run. Madrid, pitched one and one third inning to pick up his 12th save on the season.
The Captains brief three game road trip continues on Wednesday in Fort Wayne. The Captains will send out RHP Jake Sisco (2-5, 3.42) to start the game. Fort Wayne will counter with RHP Bryan Rodriguez (1-0, 1.04). First pitch is slated for 7:05 PM from Parkview Field.
Individual game tickets for all Captains games, may be purchased at the Captains official website www.CaptainsBaseball.com.