The excitement continues with the TinCaps and Parkview Field. Â I might point out that right now, attendance total for the TinCaps at Parkview Field stands at 161,968, which is second place in the Midwest League. Â The Dayton Dragons are leaders with 239,096 in attendance. Â The TinCaps are currently averaging 4,627 which is fourth highest in the MW League. Â Press release from the TinCaps:
Sizzling TinCaps Continue Historic Season
Carroll, Bass MWL Players of the Week for team on playoff pushFort Wayne TinCaps OF Sawyer Carroll received Midwest League Hitter of the Week honors on Monday while RHP Anthony Bass snagged his second Pitcher of the Week award of the season. Both MWL All-Stars, their performances are the latest headlines from an amazing run which has Fort Wayne on the verge of its first playoff berth since 2006.
“This team just continues to impress,” TinCaps president Mike Nutter said. “The players have more than lived up to the high expectations and we’re thrilled to be on the brink of making the postseason.”
Carroll, 23, went 12-for-25 during the past week (June 8-14). The University of Kentucky product ripped four doubles and a home run, scored eight runs and drove in six. In Sunday’s game at West Michigan, Carroll went 4-for-5 and finished a home run shy of the cycle. Last week he was selected to his second All-Star Team in as many seasons; he was a Northwest League All-Star for the Eugene Emeralds in 2008.
Bass, 21, won both of his starts last week, allowing two runs (one earned) in 12 innings of work to lower his ERA to 2.17, second-best in the Midwest League. This is his second time winning Pitcher of the Week honors; he was also selected on April 20th after delivering 12 scoreless innings to open the season.
It is the first time this season any team in the Midwest League has won both Pitcher and Hitter of the Week.
The first-place TinCaps are currently the hottest team in the league; they have rattled off a nine-game winning streak, one shy of the franchise record which they set to open the season. Included on the streak were a pair of extra-inning thrillers at Parkview Field. On Thursday, Jaff Decker, the #3 prospect in the Padres’ organization, dumped a walk-off single into center field in the bottom of the 13th to beat the Dayton Dragons. The next night, Kevin Hansen blooped a game-winning hit into shallow left to send the TinCaps to victory in the bottom of the 10th.
Their 41-31 record is the best in the Midwest League and their 41 wins are tied for the second-most among the 120 teams in full-season Minor League Baseball (the Double-A Birmingham Barons have 42; the Advanced-A High Desert Mavericks and Lynchburg Hillcats have 41).
The 41 wins are also tied for the most in a half in team history. In 1998, Fort Wayne went 41-31 in the first half on its way to the post-season. With seven games remaining in the half, the TinCaps’ magic number is one, meaning the next TinCaps win or Great Lakes Loons loss would give Fort Wayne its first playoff berth since 2006.
The TinCaps can clinch a spot in the playoffs tonight with a win against the second-place West Michigan Whitecaps. First pitch is slated for 7:05pm as LHP Nick Schmidt (3-0), a first-round pick in the 2007 draft, takes the mound for Fort Wayne.
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