Fort Wayne TinCaps (6-8) at Great Lakes Loons (4-10)
LHP Jerry Keel (2.38) vs. RHP A.J. Alexy (1.59)
Friday, April 21, 2017— Dow Diamond — First Pitch 6:05 p.m. — Game 15
LAST NIGHT: The TinCaps topped the Loons, 7-5, in 11 innings. Jorge Oña broke a 4-4 tie in the 11th with an RBI single. Hudson Potts tacked on 2 more runs with a single as well for insurance. Fort Wayne overcame a 4-2 deficit in the 8th… All 9 TinCaps in the lineup reached base at least once… 8 had at least 1 hit… The top 4 in the lineup each had multiple hits… Reinaldo Ilarraza had a game-high, and career-high, 3 hits.
WHAT’S AT STAKE: The TinCaps are in pursuit of their 4th win in a row… The Loons are looking to avoid a 4th consecutive loss.
CLUTCH: Fernando Tatis Jr. has started each of the last 3 games 0-for-3, but then delivered a key hit in either the 8th or 9th inning. On Tuesday, he hit a game-tying double in the 9th. On Wednesday, he knocked a go-ahead single in the 8th that proved to be a game-winner. Last night, his 8th-inning double pulled the TinCaps within 1.
EXTRA EXTRA: The TinCaps have played an Eastern Division-high 3 extra-inning games through their first 14. Fort Wayne is now 1-2 in such games. Only the Kane County Cougars have played more extra-inning games (4) in the Midwest League so far.
CLOSE CALLS: 11 of the TinCaps’ 14 games have been decided by 3 runs or less. Fort Wayne is 3-2 in 1-run games; 1-3 in 2-run games; and 1-1 in 3-run games.
LEAGUE LEADERS: As a staff, TinCaps pitchers have the most strikeouts (149, 10.6/G) and the 3rd fewest walks (37, 2.6/G)… Logan Allen has the best batting average against (.093)… Jesse Scholtens is tied for the 2nd most Ks (22), while Logan Allen is tied for 7th (20)… Offensively, the TinCaps have drawn a league-high 62 walks (4.4/G)… Jack Suwinski is tied for the 3rd most walks (10)…Brad Zunica is tied for the 5th most walks (9)… Reinaldo Ilarraza and Eguy Rosario are tied for the 6th most stolen bases (4)… Jorge Oña is tied for the 9th most hits (16).
DEFENSIVE DIFFERENCE: The TinCaps have the best fielding percentage (.985) in the Eastern Division and are 2nd to only Peoria (.989) in the Midwest League.
HISTORICAL TIE: Loons starting pitcher A.J. Alexy is from Honey Brook, Penn., a suburb of Philadelphia. From 1815-1884, the town was known as Waynesborough—named in honor of the Revolutionary War general, “Mad” Anthony Wayne, whom Fort Wayne is named for.
ON THE OTHER SIDE: The Loons have the following Top 30 Dodgers prospects (MLB.com)… RHP Jordan Sheffield (No. 7), SS Gavin Lux (No. 8), SS/3B Brendon Davis (No. 17), C Keibert Ruiz (No. 23), OF Mitchell Hansen (No. 27), and RHP Dustin May (No. 29).
