Fort Wayne TinCaps (22-31) vs. Beloit Snappers (23-31)
RHP Michael Kelly (1-0, 6.14) vs. RHP Junior Mendez (1-2, 4.78)
Friday, June 5, 2015 — Pohlman Field (Beloit, Wisc.) — First Pitch 8:00 p.m. — Game 54
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The TinCaps beat Beloit, 10-5, on Thursday.
CAREER NIGHT: Just hours after he was named to the Midwest League Eastern Division All-Star roster, outfielder Nick Torres had a career night at the plate. Torres went 4-for-4 with 4 RBI. He reached base a fifth time as he also was hit by a pitch. The 4 hits — 2 of which were doubles — and 4 RBIs were both career highs for Torres, who was selected by the Padres in the 4th round last year out of Cal Poly. Torres enters Friday tied for 1st in the MWL in doubles (17), 5th in batting (.327), tied for 6th in runs (32), and tied for 6th in hits (58).
RUDDY’S RISE: 18-year-old shortstop Ruddy Giron, who went 3-for-5 with a home run, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs on Wednesday,has been arguably the best player in the MWL since he was called up from Extended Spring Training on May 18. Giron ranks toward the top in the league in nearly every statistical category since his arrival: .410 AVG (4th), 20 R (1st), 32 H (1st), 10 XBH (T1st), 54 TB (1st), 2 3B (T2nd), 5 HR (T1st), 5 SB (T7th), .439 OBP (7th), .692 SLG (1st), 1.131 OPS (2nd). Not bad for the league’s youngest player.
BEST IN THE MIDWEST: The TinCaps lead the league with 156 extra-base hits. Fort Wayne has hit 104 doubles (2nd), 19 triples (3rd), and 33 home runs (5th). Quad Cities is second in the circuit with 155 XBH. Individually, first baseman Trae Santos leads the MWL with 24 XBH — 20 of those have come since May 1. Over that time, Santos ranks 3rd in all of Minor League Baseball in that department.
ALUMNI REPORT: The number of Fort Wayne Wizards and TinCaps to appear in the big leagues is about to rise to 134. Right-handed starter Joe Ross, who pitched for the TinCaps in 2012 and 2013, will reportedly start for the Washington Nationals in D.C. on Saturday against the Cubs. Ross has a 2.81 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings with Double-A Harrisburg this year. He was included in the three-team trade in Dec. that brought Wil Myers from Tampa Bay to San Diego.
