RECAP: ‘Caps Outslug Loons in Road Win

Box Score

MIDLAND, Mich. – The TinCaps smacked three homers and built a huge lead early, then hung on late to outslug the Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate), 10-9, at Dow Diamond on Sunday afternoon. The ‘Caps salvaged one of the three games of the series.

First-place Fort Wayne (12-6, 44-40) flexed their power and played the long ball in the victory. The TinCaps lead the Midwest League with 82 home runs this season.

Right fielder Lucas Dunn also had his first four-hit game of the season, ripping four singles.

Catcher Juan Zabala got the scoring underway in the top of the third when he launched a two-run bomb, his third of the season. That gave the ‘Caps a 2-0 lead. Later that inning, first basemanNathan Martorella (No. 23 Padres prospect) drove in shortstop Nerwilian Cedeño (No. 12 Padres prospect) with a sacrifice fly to make it a 3-0 game.

In the fourth, second baseman Graham Pauley (No. 30 Padres prospect) blasted an RBI double to score Dunn.

Great Lakes (11-7, 56-27) didn’t score until the bottom of the fourth on first baseman Griffin Lockwood-Powell’s solo homer.

But the TinCaps had a big response, posting a five-run fifth to extend the lead to eight runs. Third baseman Carlos Luis scored center fielder Jakob Marsee (No. 22 Padres prospect) with a single. Later, left fielder Albert Fabian hit a sacrifice fly before Pauley smashed a three-run bomb to blow the game open.

Fort Wayne added another in the sixth on Marsee’s ninth home run of the year.

The Loons rallied for a six-run bottom of the sixth to tighten the contest, highlighted by third baseman Luis Yanel Diaz’s two-run double. Fort Wayne’s lead was trimmed to 10-7.

Great Lakes tacked on single runs in the eighth and ninth innings, but reliever Keegan Collett struck out Diaz with the bases loaded to end the game.

Next Game:Tuesday, July 18 vs. Lake County (7:05 p.m.)

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