Fort Wayne TinCaps (2-7) at Bowling Green Hot Rods (6-3)
LHP Jerry Keel vs. LHP Travis Ott
Saturday, April 15, 2017— Bowling Green Ballpark — First Pitch 3:05 p.m. — Game 10
LAST NIGHT: Fort Wayne lost to Bowling Green, 6-1. The Hot Rods broke open a 1-1 game in the home third with a 5-spot. Fernando Tatis Jr. drove in the lone TinCaps run with a third-inning single. Fort Wayne tallied a season-high 10 hits.
JACKIE ROBINSON DAY: On this day in 1947, Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier when he started at first base and batted second for the Brooklyn Dodgers against the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field. Robinson visited Fort Wayne at least three times. In 1955, he spoke at Central Catholic High School (which is now closed, but was just a couple blocks away from where Parkview Field is). Robinson also attended the Fort Wayne Wildcat Baseball League’s Progress Day on a couple of occasions, including 1962, when he was joined by Ted Williams, Bob Feller, and Indiana native Carl Erskine.
HOOTON’S NO HITTER: Speaking of anniversaries, tomorrow is the 45th anniversary of when TinCaps pitching coach Burt Hooton threw a no-hitter for the Cubs at Wrigley Field against the Phillies in 1972.
ALUMNI REPORT: 2016 TinCaps pitcher Enyel De Los Santos threw 6 perfect innings for Double-A San Antonio last night against Northwest Arkansas (Royals). 2015 TinCap T.J. Weir followed with 2 perfect innings himself. 2014 TinCap Eric Yardley allowed a 1-out single in the ninth (and an error was committed later in the inning), as the Missions won, 2-0.
OTT REPORT: The TinCaps saw Travis Ott on Sunday at Parkview Field. He allowed 1 run (a Fernando Tatis Jr. home run) in 5 2/3 innings pitched, allowing 5 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 5.
PITCHING PROWESS: TinCaps pitchers have 98 strikeouts on the season (10.8/game) — 3rd most in the MWL… Individually, Jesse Scholtens is second in the MWL with 17 Ks… Meanwhile, TinCaps pitchers have only issued 24 walks on the year (2.6/game) — 3rd fewest in the MWL.
PATIENT: As a team, the TinCaps have drawn 36 walks this year — tied with Great Lakes for the 2nd most in the MWL (Lansing: 38). Jack Suwinski and Rod Boykin each have drawn 6 walks to lead the club and rank tied for 8th in the MWL.
AGGRESSIVE: The TinCaps have 10 stolen bases as a team — tied for 4th most in the MWL. Reinaldo Ilarraza leads the way with 3 (tied for 6th in MWL), as 6 different TinCaps have at least 1 stolen bag.
THE OTHER GUYS: Bowling Green’s roster features the following Top 30 Tampa Bay Rays prospects, per MLB.com… OF Josh Lowe (No. 6), OF Jesus Sanchez (No. 7), OF Garrett Whitley (No. 11), SS Lucius Fox (No. 13), and 3B/SS Adrian Rondon (No. 14).
