Fort Wayne TinCaps (20-30 – 7th, 56-64) @ Dayton Dragons (17-33 – 8th, 38-82)
RHP Anderson Espinoza (0-2, 4.58) vs. RHP Wendolyn Bautista (0-0, 6.23)
Tuesday, Aug. 16 — Fifth Third Field — First Pitch 7:00 p.m. — Game 121
LAST NIGHT: Fort Wayne faltered at Dayton, 6-0.
GIRON HEATS UP: Shortstop Ruddy Giron hit a pair of doubles last night. He leads the team with 23 on the season, including 13 since July 18. Over this window, Giron leads the entire Midwest League. In fact, no one else has more than 9 in that span… Giron has really turned his season around after struggles in April, May, and June. On July 3, Giron was slashing .183/.239/.240. Since then, his line reads
.299/.369/.410. He’s third in the Eastern Division in hits in this period.
VAN GANSEN VAULTS BACK: Second baseman Peter Van Gansen’s batting average was at a season-low .214 going into last Thursday, but he’s responded with a season-high-tying 5-game hitting streak over which he’s 10-for-19 (.526) with 2 walks. This marks the fourth time this year Van Gansen has hit safely in 5 straight.
ALLEN AIMS FOR NEW STREAK: Catcher Austin Allen, who recently set a Fort Wayne franchise record with a 24-game hitting streak, ranks fifth in the MWL in batting average at .317.
BELEN’S BIG HONOR: On Monday, third baseman Carlos Belen was named the MWL’s Player of the Week for his performance from Aug. 8-14, when he hit .400 with 3 home runs and 6 RBIs. Since making his season debut on April 23, Belen ranks fifth in the league in extra-base hits with 39 (22 doubles, 7 triples, 10 home runs).
ZUNICA’S POWER: First baseman Brad Zunica is tied for fifth in the MWL in home runs with 14. Zunica has averaged a home run once every 25.64 at-bats this year — the third most prolific ratio in the league. He’s currently on a drought, though, having not homered since July 24 at Beloit — some 19 games and 70 ABs ago.
SELESKY’S STORYBOOK START: Left fielder Tyler Selesky, who tripled last night, has reached base in all 18 games he’s played in the MWL — hitting safely in 15 of them. Going back to his debut on July 25, Selesky’s .348 average is the ninth highest in the league. Selesky went undrafted this year out of Florida Gulf Coast. He had 2 walk-off hits within his first 3 weeks after coming up from the Arizona League.
GARCIA GETS ON TRACK: Right fielder Alan Garcia is on a season-long 6-game hitting streak, which has raised his average 42 points from .188 to .230.
EASTERN DIVISION SECOND HALF WILD CARD RACE
Lansing 26-24 —
Great Lakes 22-27 3.5
Lake County 21-28 4.5
Fort Wayne 20-30 6.0
Dayton 17-33 9.0
South Bend (division winner) and West Michigan (wild card) clinched playoff spots in the first half. Bowling Green leads in the second half.
