TinCaps nearly no-hit in 1-0 loss
Hot Rods RHP Shane Dyer worked seven no-hit innings, walking one and plunking two with eight strikeouts. The TinCaps advanced a runner into scoring position in the 2nd on a walk and a hit batsman, but could not come up with the big hit.
Bowling Green got onto the board in the bottom of the 3rd. Robi Estrada stroked a leadoff single to center, stole second and scored on Chris Murrill's two-out single to make it 1-0.
That was all TinCaps RHP Jerry Sullivan allowed as he nearly matched the Hot Rods pitch for pitch. Sullivan allowed a run on five hits and didn't walk a batter while striking out six, but took the loss.
Meanwhile, Hot Rods RHP Kirby Yates came in for the 8th inning and struck out the first five batters he faced. After getting the first two outs in the 9th and hitting Nate Freiman with a 1-2 pitch, Yates allowed a line-drive single to left by Hagerty on a 1-2 pitch to put runners at first and second. Yates struck out Jon Alia to end the game, preserve the shutout and the series sweep.
The TinCaps went 1-for-23 with runners in scoring position in the series and scored only five runs in the three-game set. It was the first time Fort Wayne has been swept in a three-game road series since early August, 2008.
Sullivan (1-1) took the loss. Dyer (2-2) was the winning pitcher, dropping his ERA to 1.25.
Fort Wayne fell below .500 to 13-14. The Hot Rods upped their record to 8-19.
The TinCaps return to Parkview Field to take on the Lansing Lugnuts (Class-A Toronto Blue Jays) in a three-game series beginning Friday at 7:05 p.m. TinCaps LHP Mike Watt (2-1) goes to the mound against Lansing RHP Chad Jenkins (1-2).