Offense Explodes in 16-10 TinCaps Win

Fort Wayne, IN -- The TinCaps broke out of an offensive slump in a big way at Parkview Field Friday night, as Fort Wayne out-slugged the South Bend Silver Hawks, 16-10. Every TinCap in the lineup had at least one hit to combine for 20 total, as catcher Rodney Daal led the charge with two home runs and drove in six RBI.

In a game that lasted 3:26 minutes -- the second longest nine-inning game of the season for Fort Wayne -- South Bend scored the first of the game's 26 runs in the second inning. Fidel Pena, who headlined all of the game's offense with eight runs batted in, singled home Alex Glenn. That, however, was all the Silver Hawks could manage against TinCaps starter Matthew Shepherd. The right-hander from Bluff City, TN limited the visitors to one run on six hits in four-and-two-thirds innings. Shepherd, who was making his first start of the season after 25 relief appearances, struck out four. 

Fort Wayne (4-11, 47-37) began its offensive barrage in the bottom of the second inning, as Corey Adamson hit a triple and scored on a grounder hit by Tyler Stubblefield. The TinCaps then erupted for five runs in the bottom of the third. Diego Goris, Chris Burke, Corey Adamson, and Daal all plated runs with hits to give Fort Wayne a 6-1 lead. The TinCaps tacked on three more in the fourth when Maxx Tissenbaum and Adamson both delivered RBI-hits to swell the advantage to 9-1.

South Bend (10-6, 54-31) began to mount a comeback in the top of the sixth against Fort Wayne's bullpen. Pena produced a bases-clearing triple. Socrates Brito then brought Pena home on a double to make it 9-5. 

The TinCaps' offense fired right back in the bottom half of the sixth. Luis Tejada singled home two runs and Stubblefield added another with a sacrifice fly. Daal then clubbed a three-run shot to extend Fort Wayne's lead to 14-5. 

The Silver Hawks still didn't go away, though. The shortstop Pena capped off his standout night with a grand slam to right field to bring South Bend back within five at 14-9. The Silver Hawks again scored once in the top of the eighth. Fort Wayne also finished its scoring in the eighth thanks to Daal's second homer of the game, a two-run shot.

Daal, whose parents were in the sell-out crowd of 7,401, became the first TinCaps player this season to have a pair of two-homer games. The Netherlands native also launched two long balls on May 12 at Dayton. 

The TinCaps begin a new series at Parkview Field Saturday night against the Great Lakes Loons. Bryan Rodriguez is Fort Wayne's scheduled starter, opposed by Great Lakes' Tom Windle. The game can be heard on The Fan 1380 and TheFanFortWayne.com, and seen on XFINITY Channel 81.