Fort Wayne TinCaps (40-22, 72-58) @ Lansing Lugnuts (29-32, 71-60)
RHP Chris Huffman (9-6, 2.94) vs. RHP Tom Robson (0-2, 3.86)
Monday, August 31, 2015 — Cooley Law School Stadium (Lansing, MI) — First Pitch 7:05 p.m. — Game 131
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The TinCaps dropped the opener of their series in Lansing, 8-3.
PLAYOFF BOUND: With Lake County’s loss on Sunday, the TinCaps officially clinched a playoff berth. The first round of the playoffs begins Wednesday, September 9. Fort Wayne will play the other second half qualifier, while Lansing (first half champs) is set to face Great Lakes (first half wild card).
7 FOR 7: The TinCaps now have made the playoffs every year since moving into Parkview Field in 2009. As the Wizards from 1993-2008, Fort Wayne made a total of 8 playoff appearances.
LONGEST STREAK IN THE MWL: The TinCaps have the Midwest League’s longest active playoff appearance streak at 7. The next longest streak is Cedar Rapids at 3.
QUEST FOR DIVISION TITLE: With 8 games left in the regular season, the TinCaps have a 3-game lead on West Michigan for first place in the second half. That makes Fort Wayne’s magic number for a division title 6. The TinCaps visit West Michigan Wednesday-Friday. Fort Wayne hasn’t had the best record in a half since 2009.
10-WIN CLUB: Should Chris Huffman earn another victory this season, he’ll join Thomas Dorminy and Ernesto Montas as a double-digit winner. Dorminy and Montas both have 11 wins. The last time the TinCaps had a trio of 10-game winners was 2009 (Erik Davis 16, Simon Castro 10, Stiven Osuna 10).
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.
MWL EASTERN DIVISION SECOND HALF PLAYOFF PICTURE
Place Team W-L GB GB WC Streak
1. FORT WAYNE^ 40-22 — — L3
2. West Michigan 37-25 3.0 — W1
3. Lake County 31-31 9.0 6.0 L1
4. South Bend 31-31 9.0 6.0 W1
5. Bowling Green 29-32 10.5 7.5 L1
6. Dayton 29-32 10.5 7.5 W1
7. Lansing* 29-32 10.5 7.5 W3
8. Great Lakes** 26-35 13.5 10.5 L1
^ Clinched Second Half Playoff Spot * First Half Division Winner ** First Half Wild Card Winner
