Fort Wayne TinCaps (4-3, 36-39) @ Dayton Dragons (4-3, 43-34)
RHP Chris Huffman (3-3, 2.97) vs. RHP Tejay Antone (4-6, 2.56)
Thursday, July 2, 2015 — Fifth Third Field (Dayton, OH) — First Pitch 7:00 p.m. — Game 76
ABOUT LAST GAME: The TinCaps beat Bowling Green, 7-1, Wednesday afternoon at Parkview Field in the rubber match of a three-game series. Fort Wayne erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth against Enderson Franco. Shortstop Ruddy Giron capped the flurry with a three-run homer. Meanwhile, Michael Kelly threw a career-high 7 innings, yielding just an unearned run.
ROSTER MOVES: The Padres promoted TinCaps pitchers Brad Wieck and Bryan Verbitsky to the Advanced-A Lake Elsinore Storm today. Wieck, a 23-year-old left-handed starter, went 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA in two starts with Fort Wayne. He was acquired by San Diego from the Mets in a June 13 trade. Verbitsky, a 23-year-old righty reliever, had a 2.53 ERA and 3 saves in 23 outings. After a 5.14 ERA in April, Verbitsky lowered that to 1.93 in May and 1.64 in June.
BUG’S BACK: The Padres also have transferred left-handed pitcher Taylor “Bug” Cox back to the TinCaps from the Short-Season A Tri-City Dust Devils. Cox began the season in Fort Wayne’s starting rotation. In five starts, he was 0-3 with a 7.23 ERA. He found success in the bullpen as he had a 2.70 ERA in 7 appearances, but was sent to Extended Spring Training on May 29. Over 4 outings (4 innings) with Tri-City, Cox didn’t allow a run, struck out seven and walked one.
PITCHING WINS: Over their last 11 games, the TinCaps have allowed more than three runs in a game just once (a 7-2 loss to Bowling Green on Tuesday). Fort Wayne is 8-3 during the stretch.
HOOT TO THE HALL: Pitching coach Burt Hooton won’t be in the dugout Thursday or Friday. He’s in Nebraska being inducted into the Omaha College Baseball Hall of Fame, which was established in 2013. “Hoot” was in the CWS for Texas in 1969 and ‘70, pitching in four games and going 4-0 with a 1.24 ERA. He struck out 39 batters in 29 innings. Padres Roving Pitching Instructor Gorman Heimueller is filling in for Hooton. Heimueller pitched in 22 games for the A’s from 1983-84. He also has worked for the Twins, Dodgers, and Phillies.
TODAY’S STARTING LINEUP
1. #12 Ruddy Giron SS — Hit his 7th HR in 40 games on Wednesday.
2. #1 Michael Gettys CF — Hitting .241 in 14 G batting 2nd (.215 in 30 leading off).
3. #10 Nick Torres LF — Has hit safely in 15 of last 16 games.
4. #16 Trae Santos 1B* — Tied for 6th in MWL with 18 doubles (T-9th in BB, 36)
5. #34 Franmil Reyes RF — Brother, Franklin, 16, signed with the White Sox today.
6. #22 Franchy Cordero DH* — Hitting .261 on the road (.211 at Parkview Field).
7. #25 Luis Tejada 3B — Played here in the 2013 Midwest League All-Star Game.
8. #21 Jose Ruiz C — Has thrown out 32 runners trying to steal (leads MWL).
9. #3 Mitch Morales 2B* — No relation to manager Francisco Morales.
* Left-Handed Batter
