Fried Finds Success in Home Debut

Click here to see game highlights and an interview with TinCaps pitcher Max Fried

For the second time in as many nights at Parkview Field, the TinCaps beat the Lake County Captains, this time, by a score of  9-1, behind the arm of a 19-year old. Fort Wayne left-handed starting pitcher Max Fried earned the first win of his professional career with five innings of shutout baseball. Fried's three-hit outing came on the heels of Joe Ross' five scoreless frames for the TinCaps on Thursday.

After Lake County (1-6) stranded a runner on third in the top of the first inning, Fort Wayne (5-3) struck first in the home half against lefty Ryan Merritt without hitting the ball out of the infield. Shortstop Maxx Tissenbaum drew a one-out walk and reached third when Jeremy Baltz's grounder to second baseman Robel Garcia was misplayed. Merrit was then called for a balk with Gabriel Quintana at bat, allowing Tissenbaum to score the game's first run. 

The TinCaps added three runs to their lead in the third. Quintana began the charge with a one-out double, followed by Luis Tejada's second infield single of the night. An Erik Gonzalez fielding error at shortstop on a Diego Goris groundball then loaded the bases for right fielder Corey Adamson, who singled to center to plate both Quintana and Tejada. Catcher Rodney Daal came up next to drive home Goris with a ground out, giving Fort Wayne a 4-0 lead after three. 

Meanwhile, on the mound, Fried -- the seventh selection of the 2012 MLB Draft -- struck out a career-best eight, while allowing only three hits and walking two. Following Fried's 83-pitch outing, Genison Reyes and Chris Nunn teamed to throw three innings of scoreless relief. Roman Madrid surrendered his first run of the season in the ninth. 

Offensively, the TinCaps broke the game open with a five-run sixth inning. Adamson started the inning with a single. Daal then reached first after a second error by Gonzalez. Two batters later, center fielder Mallex Smith slapped a single to left field to score Adamson. After a wild pitch moved Daal and Smith to third and second, respectively, Tissenbaum hit a fly ball to left field that was misplayed by Jorge Martinez, the error enabling Daal to score and put Fort Wayne ahead 6-0. Baltz proceeded to blast a three-run homer to right-center field that made it 9-0.

The TinCaps and Captains play the third game of their four-game set on Saturday evening at Parkview Field at 5:05. Defiance, Ohio native Justin Hancock is set to start for Fort Wayne against Lake County's Mitch Brown. The game can be heard on The Fan 1380 and seen on XFINITY Channel 81.