The TinCaps won their first game of the year and infield prospects Luis Urias, Hudson Potts, and Javier Guerra all homered.
Chihuahuas 4 – Salt Lake Bees 3
Key Stats: RHP Walker Lockett 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 5 K; 2B Luis Urias 3-5, 2B, HR (1), RBI; LF Shane Peterson 2-4, 2B. HR (1), RBI; SS Javy Guerra 1-3, HR (3), 2 RBI, BB
Prospect Watch: Walker Lockett got his second start of the season, and looked much more poised on the mound. He sat 89-91 with his fastball, but generated plenty of swings and misses with it and a curve that sat 78-80… Luis Urias got his first extra-base hit of the year in the third inning when he “doubled” up the middle. Jabari Blash was playing him the wrong way and he was able to turn a single into a double. After the broadcasters were making light of his “power” (groundball up the middle for a double), he homered in his next at bat… Fearing his power, Salt Lake intentionally walked Javy Guerra in the fourth inning, giving him his first walk of the year. His next at bat he wasn’t pitched around and hit his team leading third home run of the year, matching his total in 39 games at San Antonio last year.
Missions had their first day off
Visalia Rawhide 4 – Storm 1
Key Stats: RHP Lake Bachar (L, 1-1) 5 IP, 3 H, 4R (0ER), 3 BB, 4 K; CF Edward Olivares 2-3; 3B Hudson Potts 1-4, HR (2), RBI
Prospect Watch: On the bright side, Hudson Potts continues to hit well. He has hit safely in six of the seven games this year including two home runs in the three game series. On the down side, Potts’ two out error in the first led to four unearned runs crossing the plate. It was his third error in seven games this season… After allowing back-to-back home runs in the first inning, RHP Lake Bachar did not allow another hit until the fifth inning. It is encouraging that, after two starts, Bachar has held opponents to a .132 batting average.
Jack Suwinski Lays out for a ball in the outfield (Jeff Nycz)
TinCaps 9 – Lansing Lugnuts 6
Key Stats: LHP Nick Margevicius 5.2 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 6 K; CF Jeison Rosario 1-4, 2B, RS, 2 RBI, BB, SB (1); 1B Carlos Belen 1-4, GS (1), 4 RBI; LF Jack Suwinski 1-3, HR (2), 2 RS, RBI, BB; 2B Estuary Ruiz 1-3, RS, RBI, BB
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps win their first game of the year, powered by an eight run seventh inning capped by a Carlos Belen grand slam. The 22-year-old Belen returned to the TinCaps where he spent all of the 2016 season hitting .222/.278/.394… Speaking of returning, Jack Suwinski hopes to improve upon his 2017 season with the TinCaps when he hit .227/.319/.348. His two home runs is tied for the club lead, while his .997 OPS is the highest on the club… Both Suwinski and 2B Esteury Ruiz are 19. While Suwinski is showing more power, the bat-first second baseman has reached base safely in back-to-back games, and today was his first game all year without a strike out. All the numbers in April will be small sample sizes, and everything in Fort Wayne in April should be taken with a grain of salt as the wind was blowing straight out, and it was a sunny 43 degrees at game time.
