Fort Wayne TinCaps (3-8) vs. West Michigan Whitecaps (6-5)
RHP Hansel Rodriguez vs. LHP Gregory Soto
Tuesday, April 18, 2017— Parkview Field — First Pitch 7:05 p.m. — Game 12
LAST NIGHT: The TinCaps lost to the West Michigan Whitecaps, 3-2, in 11 innings. After the visitors took a 1-0 lead in the first, G.K. Young tied the game with a solo home run in the second. Fort Wayne went in front, 2-1, in the fourth on a Marcus Greene Jr. sac fly. But the Whitecaps tied the game in the ninth, and moved ahead in the 13th with a Cole Bauml solo shot.
LONGEST GAME EVER: If you thought last night’s game was lengthy… On this day in 1981, the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox and Rochester Red Wings started the longest game in baseball history. The 33-inning affair took more than 8 hours over 2 different days to complete. The game at McCoy Stadium in Rhode Island was halted at 4:09 a.m. by order of International League President Harold Cooper. They picked the game up on June 23, with the Paw Sox winning, 3-2.
EXTRA NOT-SO SPECIAL: The TinCaps are now 0-2 in extra-inning games this season — the only team in the Midwest League to have lost more than 1 such game. Fort Wayne is 1-2 in games decided by a run. Although the majority of this year’s team wasn’t with the club last year, it’s reminiscent to the 2016 season, when the TinCaps lost more 1-run games (31) than anyone in Minor League Baseball. Fort Wayne was also tied for the MWL lead for extra-inning Ls (10).
PATIENT AT THE PLATE: The TinCaps lead the MWL in walks (49), averaging 4.5 per game. Outfielder Jack Suwinski leads the club with 8 walks — tied for 5th most in the MWL. Rod Boykin and Brad Zunica have each drawn 7 walks — tied for 9th in the league.
AGGRESSIVE ON BASES: The TinCaps are 5th in the MWL in stolen bases (11). Infielder Reinaldo Ilarraza leads the team with 3 stolen bases — tied for 7th most in the MWL.
PITCHING PROWESS: TinCaps pitchers rank 3rd in the MWL in strikeouts (120), averaging 10.9 per game. With 17 Ks, Jesse Scholtens has the 4th most in the league. Meanwhile, Fort Wayne is tied for the 2nd fewest walks (31) in the MWL. That’s 2.8 per game.
WHO’S HERE: Padres Infield Coordinator Kevin Hooper and Hitting Instructor Oscar Bernard.
ON THE OTHER SIDE: The Whitecaps have the following Top 30 Tigers prospects, per MLB.com… RHP Kyle Funkhouser (No. 6), SS Danny Pinero (No. 27), and RHP Bryan Garcia (No. 30)… In February, Baseball America ranked Detroit’s system 25th out of 30… West Michigan’s first-year hitting coach Mike Hessman is Minor League Baseball’s all-time home run leader with 433 homers from 1996-2015.
