Fort Wayne TinCaps (10-17) at Cedar Rapids Kernals (15-11)
RHP Austin Smith (5.40) vs. RHP Sean Poppen (1.67)
Friday, May 5, 2017— Veterans Memorial Stadium (Cedar Rapids, IA) — First Pitch 7:35 p.m. — Game 28
LAST NIGHT: The TinCaps saw a 1-0 lead at the end of 3 innings turn into an 11-3 loss in the rubber match of their series at Quad Cities. Fernando Tatis Jr. had an RBI double that gave Fort Wayne a third-inning lead. Eguy Rosario had 2 singles and 2 stolen bases.
FAMILIAR FACE: Arguably the most accomplished pitcher in Fort Wayne’s franchise history, LaTroy Hawkins, is currently in Cedar Rapids. Hawkins, who pitched for the inaugural Fort Wayne Wizards in 1993, is now a Baseball Operations Special Assistant with the Minnesota Twins. Hawkins had a 25-year career as a pitcher in professional baseball—21 spent in the big leagues with 12 different teams, including the Twins from ’95-03. Hawkins holds the following Fort Wayne franchise records: Most Strikeouts in a Season (179), Most Strikeouts in a Game (15), Most Complete Games (4), and Most Complete Game Shutouts (2). His 15 wins and 2.06 ERA rank 2nd. Coincidentally, that 15-K game came against Cedar Rapids.
LEADING OFF: Fernando Tatis Jr. is leading off tonight for the first time this season. So far he’s batted third 22 times and hit fifth 4 times. Tatis led off in 7 games in the Arizona League last year.
REY OF LIGHT: Reinaldo Ilarraza is on an 8-game on-base streak. It’s the longest such streak of the 18-year-old’s young career.
“CY”: G.K. Young pitched a 1-2-3 eighth last night against Quad Cities’ 2-3-4 hitters. It was the first time he had pitched since he was in high school. By the way, it was on this day in 1904 that Cy Young (no relation) pitched the first perfect game in modern MLB history for the Boston Americans in a 3-0 win against the Philadelphia Athletics.
ROSARIO’S RISE: Eguy Rosario has been on base in 13 of his last 14 games after doubling last night. Since April 20, Minor League Baseball’s youngest player has slashed .292/.414/.438. (In the 17-year-old’s first 11 games, his line was .186/.239/.256.)
BACK IN FORT WAYNE: Today is the finale of the Parkview Sports Medicine High School Baseball Series at Parkview Field with Bishop Dwenger playing Bishop Luers and North Side against South Side.
LEAGUE LEADERS: Jack Suwinski is 3rd in the MWL in walks drawn (18)… Brad Zunica is tied for 5th in home runs (5) and 4th in walks (16)… Eguy Rosario is tied for 3rd in doubles (8) and 6th in stolen bases (7)… Fernando Tatis Jr. and Reinaldo Ilarraza are tied for 8th in stolen bases (6).
AS A TEAM: In the MWL, the TinCaps have drawn the 2nd most walks (117; 4.2/G) and have the 2nd most stolen bases (28)… Fort Wayne pitchers rank 2nd in the league with 255 strikeouts (9.4/G).
