Fort Wayne TinCaps (40-21, 72-57) @ Lansing Lugnuts (28-32, 70-60)
RHP Ernesto Montas (11-6, 3.40) vs. RHP Justin Shafer (5-4, 2.95)
Sunday, August 30, 2015 — Cooley Law School Stadium (Lansing, MI) — First Pitch 4:05 p.m. — Game 130
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: In a rain-shortened rubber match, the TinCaps lost to the Lake County Captains, 5-4, at Parkview Field on Saturday night. The game was called after 6 1/2 (officially, 6) innings.
MAGIC NUMBERS: The TinCaps have a magic number of 1 to clinch a playoff spot. There are two different scenarios in which this can happen this evening: (1) The TinCaps win, (2) Lake County loses at Dayton. The Captains and Dragons square off at 4:00. Fort Wayne also has a magic number of 6 to lock up the Eastern Division second half title. The TinCaps haven’t won a division crown since ‘09.
WHAT A STRETCH: Until Saturday night, the TinCaps hadn’t lost a series at Parkview Field since May 11-14, also against Lake County. Fort Wayne had gone 13-0-2 in series at home in between. The TinCaps had won 9 series in a row overall prior to Saturday. Fort Wayne is 24-5 over its last 29 games.
WHAT A TURNAROUND: The last time the TinCaps played in Lansing (May 22-25), they arrived with a record of 13-25. (Fort Wayne’s low-water mark this year was 12-25.) Since splitting the 4-game set on Memorial Day Weekend, the TinCaps have gone 57-30.
PITCHING WINS: The TinCaps are 20-6 this month thanks in large part to a 2.23 ERA — the lowest in the MWL for August.
FRANCHISE RECORDS: The TinCaps have set a franchise record this season and matched another. From July 17-Aug. 27, Fort Wayne won 17 consecutive home games. (The previous franchise record for consecutive home wins was 15, set in 2009.) The TinCaps won 10 games in a row overall from Aug. 8-19, matching a franchise record that also had been set in ‘09.
LLWS CONNECTION: First baseman Trae Santos played for Guam in the 2005 Little League World Series.
MWL EASTERN DIVISION SECOND HALF PLAYOFF PICTURE:
Place Team W-L GB GB WC Streak
1. FORT WAYNE 40-21 — — L2
2. West Michigan 36-25 4.0 — L2
3. Lake County 31-30 9.0 5.0 W2
4. South Bend 30-31 10.0 6.0 L1
5. Bowling Green 29-31 10.5 6.5 W1
6. Dayton 28-32 11.5 7.5 L1
7. Lansing* 28-32 11.5 7.5 W2
8. Great Lakes** 26-34 13.5 9.5 W1
* First Half Division Winner ** First Half Wild Card Winner