Four TinCaps Represent Fort Wayne in All-Star Game

Dayton, OH -- Four TinCaps represented Fort Wayne in the 49th installment of the Midwest League All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Fifth Third Field, home of the Dayton Dragons. Catcher Dane Phillips, first baseman Luis Tejada, and pitchers Joe Ross and Roman Madrid all played for the East Division All-Stars, who topped the West Division All-Stars, 6-5, in walk-off fashion.

Ross was the first Fort Wayne star to enter Tuesday's exhibition. The TinCaps' 20-year old starting pitcher, who was 3-2 with a 2.71 ERA in the season's first half, threw the second inning for the East. While Ross hasn't allowed a run in his last 13.2 innings for Fort Wayne, the Oakland, California, native allowed the first two runs of the game on three hits.

The East, which had only one hit through the first four innings, came alive in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs and no one on base, Lake County's Logan Vick hit a grounder to second base that was mishandled by Cedar Rapids' Jorge Polanco. Following the error, the East proceeded to put up four runs. Bowling Green's Leonardo Reginatto delivered an RBI-single that scored Vick to cut the East's deficit to 2-1. Two batters later, with the bases loaded, West Michigan's Devon Travis hit a bases-clearing, stand-up triple that put the East on top, 4-2. Travis was named the MVP of the game.

Both Phillips and Tejada entered the contest as defensive replacements in the top of the sixth inning. Phillips, who hit .265 with 1 HR and 4 RBI in the first half, walked his first time up in the seventh. The catcher from Nacogdoches, Texas, showed his base-running savvy by advancing to second base on a wild pitch. Phillips then scored on a single by Dayton's Zach Vincej that made it 5-2 in favor of the East. The 22-year old struck out in his second at-bat. Meanwhile, Tejada, who batted .251 with 1 HR and 25 RBI in Fort Wayne's first 69 games, fanned in both of his at-bats.

Madrid began the ninth inning on the mound for the East. The TinCaps' 22-year old closer allowed only four earned runs in the first half, as he posted a 1.11 ERA. On Tuesday, however, Madrid surrendered three earned runs, as the West tied the game, 5-5. 

The East rallied to win, though, in its last turn to bat. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Lansing's Dalton Pompey singled to center field to score South Bend's Brandon Drury.  

The TinCaps, who had six walk-off wins of their own in the first half of the season, return to action at Parkview Field Thursday night at 7:05 against the South Bend Silver Hawks. Fort Wayne finished one-game behind South Bend for the East Division title in the first half. Thursday's game can be seen on XFINITY Channel 81 and heard on The Fan 1380 and  TheFanFortWayne.com.