TinCaps split doubleheader at Great Lakes

MIDLAND, Mich. – The TinCaps split a road doubleheader with the Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate) Saturday night at Dow Diamond. Fort Wayne won the first game, 4-2, but dropped the second contest, 5-0.

With 13 games left in the regular season, the TinCaps trail the West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers affiliate) by 1 1/2 games in the Midwest League East Division’s second-half postseason race. The Whitecaps lost in Peoria on Saturday.

In the first game, No. 28 Padres prospect Austin Krob tied a career-high, fanning eight across 5 2/3 innings. Reliever Carter Loewen nailed down the final four outs and recorded his first save of the year. Neither walked a batter either.

Fort Wayne (29-24, 61-58) scored first on a disengagement violation when Loons starter Maddux Bruns (No. 18 Dodgers prospect) stepped off the rubber for a third time while facing the same batter.

The ‘Caps added to the lead in the fifth. Left fielder Tyler Robertson laid down a bunt single after second baseman Nerwilian Cedeño’s leadoff double. The throw to first was wide, and Cedeño motored in to score from second, making it 2-0. Three batters later, first baseman Griffin Doersching bashed a two-run single to extend the lead, 4-0.

Great Lakes (25-28, 70-48) got on the board in the bottom of the sixth with a sacrifice fly by second baseman Yeiner Ferndandez (No. 27 Dodgers prospect). The Loons also got a solo homer from first baseman Dalton Rushing (No. 1 Dodgers prospect).

In the second contest, Rushing smacked a two-run homer in the bottom of the second to propel the Loons to a win. Then in the fourth, Fernandez added a two-run double to make it 4-0. Second baseman Taylor Young tacked on a run-producing double in the sixth.

Next Game: Sunday, Aug. 27 @ Great Lakes (1:05 p.m.)