TinCaps Defeat Lake County, Earn Series Split

Justin Lopez has been on fire for Fort Wayne this month. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)

Fort Wayne – On a rainy day in the Summit City, the TinCaps bats heated up to propel the TinCaps to a 7-4 win against Lake County. The win gave Fort Wayne the split in the six-game series.

Lake County got on the board in the first inning off of LHP Danny Denz, who made his High-A debut in what turned into a bullpen game. Denz gave up a single to Lake County shortstop Brayan Rocchio with one out in first. After a flyout and a walk, Denz got a groundball to second, but Justin Lopez mishandled the grounder and Rocchio came around to score.

Lefty Mason Feole struggled mightily in the fourth. Feole walked Lake County first baseman Joe Naranjo to lead off the inning. He bounced back to strike out the next batter but walked the next four batters. The TinCaps got help when Lake County’s Aaron Bracho inexplicably took a large lead as the trail runner at first, despite and TinCaps catcher Adam Kerner picked him off.

Sam Keating replaced Feole with the bases loaded and only one run across and was able to get out of the jam by inducing a ground out. That inning proved to be pivotal. Feole threw just 8 of 31 pitches for strikes and has walked 12 in 4.2 innings on the year.

The TinCaps erupted in the bottom half of the fourth with three runs. Lopez tripled to left to get Fort Wayne on the board. Ethan Skender, fresh off of the Injured List, followed with a chopper over the third baseman’s head for a double. With two outs in the inning, Jonny Homza hit a line-drive single to give the TinCaps a lead they would not relinquish.

Fort Wayne added on in the bottom of the fifth when first baseman Seamus Curran slammed his second homer in as many days – a two-run shot that went out deep to right field.

The TinCaps added a pair in the seventh inning when Tirso Ornelas scored from third on an errant attempt to pick off Agustin Ruiz as the trail runner on first. One out later, Justin Lopez delivered an RBI double – his second hit of the game – to plate the final run. The 21-year-old middle infielder, has connected for extra-bases on seven of his nine hits this month, delivering a .290/.395/.677 line in 38 plate appearances.

Notes:

• Scheduled starter Moises Lugo was scratched due to what the club called shoulder fatigue. TinCaps manager Anthony Contreras said in a postgame Zoom that they expect the righty to make his next start on Saturday. The righty had a 2.79 through his first nine starts of the year, but surrendered nine runs over 6.2 innings in his last two appearances.
• RHP Jose Geraldo entered in the ninth inning but left after allowing a home run. Geraldo who normally tops out in the mid-90s saw a noticeable drop in his velocity. Contreras said Geraldo had some elbow discomfort and will be re-evaluated in the coming days.
• The TinCaps used a season-high nine pitchers in the victory Sunday. RHP Edwuin Bencomo followed Danny Denz and threw a team-high two innings.