Fort Wayne TinCaps (36-31) vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods (34-32)
RHP J.C. Cosme (7-2, 2.64) vs. RHP Taylor Hawkins (2-5, 3.91)
Friday, June 17 — Parkview Field — First Pitch 7:05 p.m. — Game 68
LAST NIGHT: Fort Wayne fell to Bowling Green, 14-7.
3 MILLION FANS: Parkview Field is just 11,197 fans away from welcoming in its 3,000,000th fan since the ballpark opened in 2009. The 3,000,000th fan will have a chance to win $3 million in a surprise contest following the game when the milestone is set.
PACKED PARKVIEW FIELD: Thursday’s crowd of 7,336 was the seventh sell-out of the season for the TinCaps. Fort Wayne’s average attendance so far this year of 5,520 is the second highest among the 60 Single-A clubs and tops 26 of 30 Double-A franchises and 14 of 30 Triple-A organizations.
STAR WARS NIGHT: Tonight is Parkview Field’s annual Star Wars Night, presented by Shindigz. The TinCaps are wearing Storm Trooper jerseys for the occasion. These jerseys are being auctioned online at TinCapsJersey.com with all proceeds benefitting the Make A Wish Foundation. As part of the theme night, the 501st Legion will be on hand in Star Wars costumes.
TWO-WAY PLAYER: On the 2-year anniversary of the passing of his college coach at San Diego State, Ty France must have made Tony Gwynn proud on Thursday night. France went 3-for-4 at the plate with a walk. He scored 2 runs and drove 2 in on a double. He also threw a scoreless top of the ninth inning with a strikeout. France now has pitched in 3 games this season, going 4 scoreless innings. Prior to this season, he hadn’t pitched since he was in high school in 2012. France leads the TinCaps in RBI (32), BB (39), OBP (.403), and HBP (13). In fact, he’s been hit more than anyone else in the league this year and ranks 3rd in BB and 4th in OBP in the MWL.
THE GREAT GETTYS: With an RBI double on Thursday, Michael Gettys extended his streak to 11 games — tied with Austin Allen and Kodie Tidwell for the longest by a TinCap this season. Last year Gettys’ longest hitting streak with the TinCaps was 10 games (Aug. 13-23). In 2014 with the Rookie-Level Peoria Padres, he had a 12-game hitting streak from July 21-Aug. 6. On the season, Gettys leads the squad in BA (.323), R (37), H (78), 3B (5), TB (107), SB (24), and G (65). Gettys leads the MWL in stolen bases and is tied for eighth in batting, second in games played, and third in hits.
TIDWELL’S TEAR: Kodie Tidwell matched a career high on Thursday as he drew 3 walks to extended his consecutive games on-base streak to 27, going back to May 13. It’s the longest current streak in the MWL this season and fourth longest on the year. In all of MiLB, only Pirates outfield prospect Austin Meadows (Double-A Altoona) has a longer active streak at 29 games. During Tidwell’s tear, he’s played second base, third base, shortstop, left field, right field, and DH-ed.
