TinCaps Going To MWL Championship

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE)-- - Click on the VIDEO to your left to see highlights from Monday's game as well as extended interviews with Doug Dascenzo, Simon Castro, Daniel Robertson, and Robert Lara.

The Fort Wayne TinCaps pull out a close one and beat the Great Lakes Loons Monday night. The game went into 10 innings.

Robert Lara snapped an 0-for-15 post-season slump with a walk-off home run over the left-field wall to deliver a 4-3 win for the Fort Wayne TinCaps over the Great Lakes Loons, Monday at Parkview Field. The victory in decisive Game 3 gives Fort Wayne its first-ever appearance in the Midwest League Championship Series.

The TinCaps host the Burlington Bees in Game 1, Monday at Parkview Field at 7:05pm. Burlington edged Cedar Rapids, 3-2, in the Western Division Championship Series Monday night.

It was a battle of aces with Fort Wayne RHP Simon Castro battling Great Lakes LHP Aaron Miller.

Fort Wayne took the lead in the bottom of the 2nd on Justin Baum’s sacrifice fly. Castro kept it that way until the top of the 6th, when Parker Dalton grounded a leadoff single and scored on Anthony Hatch’s two-out RBI double to the gap in right-center, tying the game at 1-1.

The Loons took the lead in the 7th when Alfredo Silverio pounded a monster home run over the left-field wall.

The TinCaps tied the game in the 7th with the help of a key error. Cole Figueroa was hit by a pitch and went to second on a single by Allan Dykstra. When Baum bounced a comebacker to the mound, LHP Geison Aguasviva threw wildly to second and Figueroa raced around to score the tying run.

Great Lakes again took a lead in the 8th when Kyle Russell’s sacrifice fly plated Jaime Pedroza to make it 3-2 Loons.

That lead didn’t last long as Vince Belnome doubled over the center-fielder’s head in the bottom of the 8th to score Jaff Decker and make it a 3-3 game.

After a pair of scoreless innings from RHP Brad Brach, the TinCaps came up in the bottom of the 10th with a chance to win. After an extended battle, Lara belted a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left-center to win it.

Brach (4-3) was the winning pitcher. Great Lakes LHP Cole St. Clair (4-2) took the loss. The TinCaps improved to 98-48 for the season. Great Lakes finished its season at 84-62 overall.

Fort Wayne and the Burlington Bees (Class-A Kansas City Royals) play Game 1 of the Midwest League Championship Series, Tuesday at 7:05pm at Parkview Field in downtown Fort Wayne. The TinCaps went 3-3 against the Bees during the regular season, 2-1 at Parkview Field. RHP Erik Davis (16-7) draws the starting assignment for the TinCaps.