TinCaps Baseball: Home Siders Complete Sweep [VIDEO]
FORT WAYNE – For the first time since 2009, the Fort Wayne TinCaps swept a four-game series at Parkview Field. This sweep came with a 7-4 victory over the South Bend Cubs (Chicago Cubs) on Thursday night. A crowd of 7,658 came to Parkview Field for the game, marking the 11th sellout this season in Fort Wayne.
South Bend (1-7, 40-37) got on the board in the top of the first inning. Vimael Machin singled in Roberto Caro from third base for a 1-0 Cubs lead. Later in the inning, Machin scored from third on an Isaac Paredes groundout to give South Bend a 2-0 edge.
The Cubs added to their lead in the second inning. Adonis Paula scored from third base on a wild pitch to make it a 3-0 South Bend advantage.
Fort Wayne (7-1, 33-45) scored its first run in the bottom of the third inning. Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. led off with a home run to center field to trim the South Bend lead to 3-1. It was Tatis Jr.’s 11th homer this season.
The TinCaps’ offense erupted in the fifth. With left fielder Rod Boykin at second base, catcher A.J. Kennedy singled to score Boykin and trim the deficit to 3-2. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, both third baseman Hudson Potts and designated hitter Marcus Greene Jr. worked walks as Fort Wayne tied the game and then took the lead, 4-3. Second baseman Reinaldo Ilarraza followed with a single to right field that scored first baseman Brad Zunica and Potts for a 6-3 TinCaps lead.
South Bend gained a run back in the sixth. Machin led off the inning with a home run to right field to make it 6-4 with the TinCaps still in front.
Fort Wayne added an insurance run in the seventh frame. With runners on first and third and no outs, Potts grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored right fielder Jorge Oña to extend the TinCaps’ lead to 7-4.
TinCaps starting pitcher Will Stillman (W) pitched a career-high five innings and tied a career high with six strikeouts. Reliever Will Headean pitched two scoreless innings, and Wilmer Torres (S) closed the game out with two scoreless, hitless innings.
Cubs starting pitcher Bryan Hudson (L) allowed five runs and six hits in 4 and 2/3 innings on the mound.