TinCaps Fall In Matt Wisler's Debut 5-1

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Click on the VIDEO tab to see highlights courtesy of WSBT.

On a chilly Monday evening at Coveleski Stadium, the South Bend Silver Hawks defeated the Fort Wayne TinCaps 5-1. The Silver Hawks’ Jesse Darrah pitched six strong innings, allowing one unearned run and striking out three, en route to his first win of the year.

Fort Wayne (1-3) jumped out to an early lead in the ballgame. In the first inning, Donavan Tate reached on a fielding error by Silver Hawks shortstop Niko Gallego. Casey McElroy doubled, sending Tate to third base. Zach Kometani then came up and plated Tate with a sacrifice fly, and the TinCaps jumped out to a 1-0 lead.

TinCaps starter Matt Wisler (0-1) tossed three scoreless innings to begin the game, facing just nine batters in the process. Wilser was drafted by the Padres in the seventh round last summer out of high school in Bryan, Ohio. However in the fourth was where the young righty met trouble. A leadoff single by Ender Inciarte started the eight-batter inning for South Bend (2-2). Fidel Pena then struck out swinging following the single for the first out. With Chris Ellison at the plate, Inciarte stole second, and Ellison then walked. Matt Helm grounded into a force out at second base, and Inciarte scored, making it 1-1. Helm was safe at first base as second baseman Casey McElroy’s throw on an attempted double play sailed high. Bobby Stone, Roidany Aguila, and Gerson Montilla all followed in order with run-scoring hits, and the Silver Hawks led 4-1 after four innings.

In the eighth inning, the Silver Hawks added another run on sacrifice fly off the bat of Helm. The TinCaps put just six runners on base over the final eight innings.

On Tuesday night, Fort Wayne and South Bend square off for the second of the three-game series. The TinCaps are scheduled to send RHP Cody Hebner to the hill against South Bend’s JR Bradley. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.