News release from the TinCaps:
Hancock Closes Homestand with Win
(June 3, 2013) – Behind seven scoreless innings from starter Justin Hancock, the TinCaps took down the West Michigan Whitecaps, 2-0, on Monday night at Parkview Field. Fort Wayne finished its seven-game homestand with a 6-1 mark, as it scored 39 runs on 77 hits.
While both lineups were limited by strong starting pitching, the TinCaps finally cracked the score column in the sixth. West Michigan (27-28) starter Charlie Gillies (0-3) struck out five Fort Wayne (33-23) batters through the first five innings, but walked Maxx Tissenbaum to start the sixth. Tissenbaum took second base on a wild pitch and then scored when Diego Goris singled to center field and Austin Schotts misplayed the ball for an error. Two batters later, Chris Burke drove in Goris with a bloop single to right field that put the TinCaps ahead, 2-0. Burke finished 3-for-4 and has 11 hits in his first 20 at-bats with the club.
Two runs were more than enough for the Defiance, Ohio, native Hancock (3-1). The right-hander became the first Fort Wayne starter this year to throw seven innings on two occasions. Hancock scattered six hits and walked only one batter, while striking out six. He overcame his biggest challenge in the seventh when West Michigan loaded the bases with no outs. The 22-year old came up with back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout to first base, ending the threat.
Chris Nunn relieved Hancock in the eighth, throwing a scoreless frame. In the ninth, Leonel Campos raised his team-leading strikeout total to 47, as he kept the shutout intact and struck out a pair.
Fort Wayne is now a season-high 10 games over .500 and has won eight of its last ten.
After a day off on Tuesday, the TinCaps travel to Lansing on Wednesday for a 7:05 p.m. affair at the Lugnuts. Zach Eflin looks for his second straight win for Fort Wayne against Javier Avendano for Lansing. The game can be heard on The Fan 1380 and TheFanFortWayne.com.
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