FORT WAYNE – After sticking out a 2 hour, 17-minute rain delay before the first pitch, the TinCaps offense exploded early, as Fort Wayne rolled to a 5-0 win over the West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers) on Wednesday night at Parkview Field.

The TinCaps (36-30) scored three runs in the second and two in the third to salvage the series finale against the Whitecaps (37-26) and keep their playoff hopes afloat.

TinCaps right-handed starter Jake Nix (W, 1-3), who fired in the first pitch of the ballgame at 9:22 p.m. after the lengthy delay, earned his first professional win by tossing five shutout frames with no walks and four strikeouts.

Fort Wayne catcher A.J. Kennedy smacked a two-run double in the second to score first baseman Ty France and right fielder Jhonatan Peña and stake the TinCaps to an early 2-0 advantage. Kennedy then scored on an RBI single by left fielder Tyler Moore.

In the third, TinCaps third baseman Carlos Belen socked an RBI single to left, and France’s RBI ground ball scored center fielder Michael Gettys to make it 5-0.

TinCaps relievers Lou Distasio and Gerardo Reyes each followed Nix with two shutout stanzas to complete the shutout.

West Michigan starter Beau Burrows (L, 5-4) allowed five runs on six hits and two walks in 2.1 innings.

Fort Wayne will host Bowling Green Thursday with a 7:05 p.m. series opener.