Fort Wayne TinCaps (20-31 – 7th, 56-65) @ Dayton Dragons (18-33 – 8th, 39-82)
RHP Emmanuel Ramirez (2-0, 4.84) vs. RHP Tony Santillan (1-2, 9.00)
Wednesday, Aug. 17 — Fifth Third Field — First Pitch 7:00 p.m. — Game 122
LAST NIGHT: Fort Wayne faltered at Dayton, 3-2.
GIRON HEATS UP: Shortstop Ruddy Giron homered last night, continuing the turnaround of his 2016 season around after struggles in April, May, and June. On July 3, over 66 games, Giron was slashing .183/.239/.240 with 0 HR and 11 RBIs. In 38 games since, he’s at .297/.366/.426 with 2 HR and 9 RBIs. (In 2015, Giron was .285/.335/.407 with 9 HR and 49 RBIs in 96 games.)
VAN GANSEN VAULTS BACK: Second baseman Peter Van Gansen’s batting average was a season-low .214 going into last Thursday, but he’s responded with a season-high 6-game hitting streak over which he’s 12-for-23 (.522) with 2 walks. This has bumped his average to .232 — as high as it’s been since June 26.
ALLEN AIMS FOR NEW STREAK: Catcher Austin Allen, who recently set a Fort Wayne franchise record with a 24-game hitting streak, had 2 singles last night. His .319 average on the season ranks fourth in the Midwest League.
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 25.93 at-bats this year — the third most prolific ratio in the league. He’s currently in a drought, though, having not homered since July 24 at Beloit — some 20 games and 74 ABs ago.
SELESKY’S STORYBOOK START: Left fielder Tyler Selesky, who hit the first home run of his pro career last night, has reached base in all 19 games he’s played so far in the MWL — hitting safely in all but 3. Going back to his debut on July 25, Selesky’s .343 average is the 11th 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 7-game hitting streak, which has raised his average 42 points from .188 to .230.
BOYKIN BRINGS SPEED: Since returning from the DL on Aug. 3 after missing 2 months with a wrist injury, Rod Boykin has stolen 5 bases in 12 games — tied for the second most in the league in this period. On Fort Wayne’s current roster, only Ruddy Giron has more stolen bases all season (8).
