FORT WAYNE – The TinCaps overcame a 4-1 ninth-inning deficit to defeat the Peoria Chiefs, 5-4, in 10 innings on Tuesday night at Parkview Field.

With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th, Kodie Tidwell singled to center field to plate Ty France for the win. The victory ended a four-game losing skid.

Fort Wayne (10-9) had lost in walk-off fashion four times in their first 18 games, including its last time out on Sunday, before turning the tables on Peoria (8-10).

France reached against Nick Frey (L, 0-1) with a one-out walk. Then with two outs, Carlos Belen doubled and Daniel Bravo drew a walk to set the stage for Tidwell, a 21-year-old left-handed batter from Calhoun, Louisiana. Tidwell snuck a hard-hit grounder up the middle by Chiefs second baseman Eli Alvarez.

The TinCaps tied the game with a three-run ninth. Belen brought in the first run with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2. Then with two outs, Brad Zunica singled in a run to cut the deficit to 4-3 and Jhonatan Peña singled to right field to tie it.

The game stayed tied in the top of the 10th inning thanks to a terrific defensive play by Michael Gettys. The center fielder fielded a Craig Aiken single off Gerardo Reyes (W, 1-0) and threw out Thomas Spitz attempting to score from second on the hit.

The Chiefs drew first blood with a pair of runs in the top of the second. Fort Wayne finally scored a run in the sixth, only to see Peoria push the lead back to two with a run in the seventh and stretch it to 4-1 with a score in the ninth.

Both sides now have a quick turnaround for the middle game of the series on Wednesday morning.