Rain, Records Mark TinCaps Wins
FORT WAYNE – It took all day, but the TinCaps swept a doubleheader from the Clinton LumberKings at Parkview Field on Sunday.
Fort Wayne won Game 1, 2-1, and prevailed in Game 2, 16-1. Both games endured rain delays.
Factoring in the length of both games, the time between games, and the two rain delays, 6 hours and 13 minutes elapsed from the first pitch of Game 1 at 2:06 p.m. until the last out of Game 2 at 8:19 p.m. Sunday was a doubleheader after Saturday night’s meeting was postponed by rain.
Along the way, Clinton matched Midwest League history and Fort Wayne matched franchise history.
Clinton (23-40) has lost 15 consecutive games, tying the 1986 Kenosha Twins, the 1975 Cedar Rapids Giants, and the 1958 Clinton Pirates for most losses in a row.
Fort Wayne (28-34) tallied nine hits and sent 12 batters to the plate during an eight-run bottom of the third inning in Game 2 to tie the franchise record for most hits in an inning. It was just the fourth nine-hit frame in team history. The last time Fort Wayne had nine hits in an inning was on Sept. 2, 2011 against South Bend.
The TinCaps also set season highs in Game 2 with their 16 runs and 21 hits. That hit total was one shy of equaling the franchise record of 22, which was set on April 29, 1998 at Lansing. For that matter, the franchise record for runs in a game is 18, which has happened four times, but not since Sept. 5, 1998.
The eight-run inning was capped by a three-run Franmil Reyes home run to left-center field — his fifth long ball of the season. The right fielder has 28 RBIs on the year, with eight coming over the last four games. Reyes was one of seven batters to have a multi-hit game. All 10 TinCaps who had an at-bat had at least one hit.
On the mound, left-hander Jose Castillo went the first three innings before a 1 hour, 10-minute rain delay occurred during the bottom of the third — following Reyes’ homer. Chris Huffman (W, 2-3) followed with three innings in which he allowed a mere run. Seth Lucio pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.
As for Game 1, Chase Jensen hit a two-run double in the second inning to give the TinCaps a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Ernesto Montas (W, 5-4) held the LumberKings to one run over six innings. He struck out four batters. Colby Blueberg (S, 6) pitched a perfect seventh inning in the abbreviated, seven-inning game.
The TinCaps are 16-10 since May 21. The team has now won four consecutive series at Parkview Field.
The TinCaps and LumberKings conclude their three-game series on Monday at 7:05 p.m. If Fort Wayne wins, Clinton will set a new Midwest League record for consecutive losses. The TinCaps plan to start right-hander Dinelson Lamet (2-3, 4.62) against righty Jeffeson Medina (2-6, 3.97). The game can be seen on Comcast Network 81 and heard on ESPN Radio 1380, TinCaps.com, and the TuneIn Radio app.