Fort Wayne TinCaps (8-15) vs. South Bend Cubs (14-9)
RHP Hansel Rodriguez (3.18) vs. LHP Manuel Rondon (3.86)
Sunday, April 30, 2017— Parkview Field — First Pitch 1:05 p.m. — Game 24
YESTERDAY: The TinCaps and Cubs split a doubleheader. Fort Wayne took the front half, 7-3, while South Bend prevailed in the nightcap, 4-1.
LONG DAY: First pitch on Saturday was originally scheduled for 1:05. Rain delayed that by 2 hours and 1 minute. Game 1 of the doubleheader took 2 hours and 23 minutes. Game 2 then started at 6:08 and went 2 hours and 25 minutes, ending at 8:33, or 7 hours and 28 minutes after it was all slated to begin.
TATIS TURNING IT AROUND: Fernando Tatis Jr. is on a 12-game on-base streak. During the stretch, he’s slashing .302/.400/.465. (In the 18-year-old’s first 10 games, his line was .146/.222/.220.)
ZUNICA’S POWER & PATIENCE: Brad Zunica has 9 hits this year—4 doubles, 3 home runs, and just 2 singles (1 of which was off the center-field fence and he was out at second base trying to make it a double). So while his AVG is only .205, his on-base percentage is .397, as he’s drawn 14 walks in 14 starts. Zunica has drawn a walk in 26% of his plate appearances (2nd best in the MWL among guys with 50+ PAs). He had an 11-game on-base streak end yesterday.
“TOP 30” STATUS: With former TinCap and current Padres right fielder Hunter Renfroe “graduating” from MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 San Diego prospects, Eguy Rosario has cracked the ranking at No. 30. The TinCaps currently have 6 of the Top 30 on the list; 15 others have previously played in Fort Wayne; 4 more figure to come in the future.
TICKETS NOTE: Even though yesterday’s games were played, tickets for Saturday, April 29, will be honored for any non-fireworks game during the remainder of the 2017 season at Parkview Field. More details are online at TinCaps.com.
ROSTER MOVES: On Saturday the Padres transferred relievers Will Stillman and Emmanuel Ramirez back to Extended Spring Training in Arizona and reinstated right-handed reliever Blake Rogers to Fort Wayne’s roster from the Disabled List, and also added righty reliever Diomar Lopez from Extended. More on the newcomers on Pages 7-8.
LEAGUE LEADERS: Jack Suwinski is 2nd in the MWL in walks drawn (17)… Brad Zunica is tied for 5th in walks (14)… Eguy Rosario is tied for 8th in doubles (6)… Fernando Tatis Jr. is tied for 6th in stolen bases (6)… Eguy Rosario also is tied for 8th in stolen bases (5)… Ben Sheckler has the 5th highest SO/9IP (14.85) among relievers.
ON THE OTHER SIDE: South Bend has the following Top 30 Cubs prospects (per MLB.com)… RHP Dylan Cease (No. 3)… OF D.J. Wilson (No. 9)… LHP Jose Paulino (No. 14)… SS Isaac Paredes (No. 18)… LHP Bryan Hudson (No. 24).
