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RECAP: Zabala, Merrill Homer as 'Caps Down Cubs 5-2

May 31, 2023

Box Score FORT WAYNE, Ind. – TinCaps catcher Juan Zabala blasted a three-run homer, shortstop Jackson Merrill (No. 1 Padres prospect) legged out an inside-the-park home run, and Fort Wayne beat the South Bend Cubs (Chicago Cubs affiliate), 5-2, on a warm Wednesday night at Parkview Field. Fort Wayne starting

Box Score

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – TinCaps catcher Juan Zabala blasted a three-run homer, shortstop Jackson Merrill (No. 1 Padres prospect) legged out an inside-the-park home run, and Fort Wayne beat the South Bend Cubs (Chicago Cubs affiliate), 5-2, on a warm Wednesday night at Parkview Field.

Fort Wayne starting right-hander Jared Kollar dazzled with 5 2/3 shutout innings, exiting the game just before completing the sixth after taking a liner off his right arm. Still, Kollar struck out three and allowed just four hits. He also extended his streak without issuing a walk to more than 14 innings.

The TinCaps opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, when Merrill stole third and forced a throwing error from South Bend starting pitcher Cade Horton (No. 2 Cubs prospect). Then in the fifth, Merrill’s hard liner hit the top of the right-field wall and caromed around the warning track, and the TinCaps shortstop circled the bases and scored standing up, making it 2-0.

Merrill finished the month of May with a .329 batting average in 20 games.

In the sixth, after a two-out walk by center fielder Jakob Marsee (No. 22 Padres prospect) and an error by Cubs third baseman Luis Verdugo, Zabala hit his second bomb of the season to bust the game open, giving the ‘Caps a 5-0 advantage. Zabala finished the game 2-for-3 with a walk and three RBIs.

South Bend got two runs back in the top of the eighth on just one hit, but that’s all they would get.

Merrill’s inside-the-park homer was the first by a TinCaps player since July 31, 2022, when Max Ferguson hit one at Peoria.

The TinCaps are in the midst of a 12-game homestand, which continues through Sunday.

Next Game: Thursday, June 1 vs. South Bend (7:05 p.m.)

  • TinCaps Probable Starter: RHP Adam Mazur (No. 6 Padres prospect)
  • Cubs Probable Starter: RHP Connor Noland

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