Fort Wayne TinCaps (25-24) @ Lake County Captains (28-21)
RHP Enyel De Los Santos (2-1, 2.53) vs. LHP Sam Hentges (1-3, 5.18)
Sunday, May 29 — Classic Park (Eastlake, Ohio) — First Pitch 1:30 p.m. — Game 50
LAST NIGHT: Fort Wayne allowed a season high 14 runs in a 14-4 loss at Lake County.
TIDWELL’S TEAR: Kodie Tidwell is on a season-long 8-game hitting streak. He’s 11-for-35 (.314 average) over the stretch with 4 doubles, 4 runs, 3 stolen bases, and an RBI. It’s sprung his batting average 38 points and doubled his double total from his first 28 games this year. During the streak, Tidwell has played second base, shortstop, left field, and DH-ed. This year he’s also played third.
GETTYS GETS ON: Michael Gettys is riding a season-long 12-game on-base streak after singling Saturday. Over the last 12 games, Gettys is 15-for-41 (.366 average) with 5 runs and 6 RBIs. He’s hit 1 homer, 3 triples, and 1 double (.610 slugging), while swiping 5 bases, drawing 5 walks, and being hit by 3 pitches (.469 on-base).
NEW POSITIONS: Nick Vilter is making his debut as a catcher today. Vilter, a 22-year-old from California, has played 16 games in his career at first, 8 at second, 61 at third, and 2 at short, but never behind the plate. He learned the position in Arizona this spring. Meanwhile, for Kodie Tidwell, it’s his second career game in left.Today is also the first time this year Ty France is batting cleanup, Carlos Belen is hitting sixth, and Ruddy Giron is hitting eighth.
HOME STRETCH: The first half of the Midwest League season ends 3 weeks from today on June 19. With 21 games to play, the TinCaps are 6 games behind first-place South Bend and 3 back of Lake County and West Michigan for the Wild Card. To this point, Fort Wayne has had the most difficult schedule in the Eastern Division, having played the most road games (27), the fewest home games (22), 0 games against the league’s worst team (Dayton), and playing 2 of the West’s top 3 teams (Clinton and Peoria). Looking ahead, the TinCaps play 13 of their final 21 at home, and six against Dayton.
AMONG THE BEST: TinCaps position players are among the Midwest League leaders in the following categories…
· Batting Average: Austin Allen (.352) — 1st
· On-Base Percentage: Austin Allen (.429) — 3rd
· Slugging Percentage: Austin Allen (.461) — 5th
· Games: Michael Gettys (48) — 1st
· Hit By Pitch: Michael Gettys (9) — 1st
· Outfield Assists: Michael Gettys (10) — 1st
· Stolen Bases: Michael Gettys (20) — 2nd
PARKVIEW FIELD IN SIGHT: The TinCaps begin a 6-game homestand on Tuesday with 3 against South Bend followed by 3 with Dayton.