FORT WAYNE – The TinCaps used a five-run explosion in the sixth inning to bury the Quad Cities River Bandits, 6-0, on Wednesday night at Parkview Field.

Peter Van Gansen opened the frame with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Kodie Tidwell. Tyler Moore ripped an RBI double to plate Van Gansen, and the outburst began.

Following a bloop single from Austin Allen, Brad Zunica laced an RBI double down the right-field line that drove in Moore. Carlos Belen appeared to launch a three-run homer, but it was instead ruled an RBI double.

Jose Carlos Urena made sure it didn’t matter, however, sending a sharply hit ball past the third baseman. The ground-rule double scored both Allen and Zunica and pushed the TinCaps to a 5-0 lead.

Zunica capped the scoring in the eighth inning, launching his 11th home run this season.

Fort Wayne (45-45, 9-11) recorded its seventh shutout of the year behind a sterling performance from starting pitcher Chris Paddack.

After surrendering a leadoff double, he retired 14 consecutive River Bandits with an impressive nine strikeouts. Paddack allowed a pair of two-out baserunners in the fifth frame before getting a groundout to end the inning and his night.

Corey Kimber (W, 2-0) followed with five strikeouts in three shutout frames. Elvin Liriano tossed a scoreless ninth, sealing the victory with Fort Wayne’s 15th strikeout of the game.

Quad Cities (41-48, 10-10) mustered just four hits. River Bandits starter Yoanys Quiala (L, 1-7) ceded nine hits and five earned runs throughout 5.1 innings.

The TinCaps now hold a 1-0 advantage in the three-game series—the only one of the 2016 season against Quad Cities.

The two teams will meet again Thursday evening at 7:05 p.m.