News release from the TinCaps:
TinCaps Win, Snap Five-Game Skid
(July 31, 2013) – The TinCaps scored four times in the bottom of the seventh inning to erase a 3-0 deficit and beat the Lake County Captains, 4-3, on Wednesday afternoon. Fort Wayne’s win ended a five-game losing streak.
Trailing 3-0 with two outs in the home seventh, Brian Adams ignited the TinCaps comeback with an RBI double to left-center field that scored Rodney Daal. Adams was the first of five consecutive Fort Wayne (13-24, 56-50) batters to produce a two-out hit. Mallex Smith then hit a double of his own that scored Adams to bring the TinCaps within a run, 3-2. Alberth Martinez followed, lacing a double that scored Smith to tie the game, while Diego Goris delivered the go-ahead single that scored Martinez. All of Fort Wayne’s runs were scored against reliever Luis Morel (2-3), who was in his fourth of five innings of relief.
Zach Eflin tossed six innings of two-run ball for the TinCaps, as he struck out three and lowered his season ERA to 3.02. Since May 11, the 19-year-old’s ERA is an even more impressive 2.31 — fourth best in the Midwest League during that period.
Lake County (18-20, 41-64) managed two runs against Eflin in the top of the sixth inning to stake a 2-0 lead. Richard Stock and Zack MacPhee both came up with two-out RBI singles. The Captains added to their advantage in the top of the seventh inning against reliever Reuben Mejia (3-5). Jorge Martinez clobbered Mejia’s very first pitch over the right-field fence for his third home run of the season that made it 3-0.
Mejia kept Lake County off the board after the home run, however, and recorded five outs. Chris Nunn succeeded Mejia with one scoreless inning of relief, before handing the ball to Trevor Gott for the game’s final out. Fort Wayne’s rookie right-hander came in with two outs in the top of the ninth inning and the tying run at third base. Gott struck out Eric Haase to earn the third save of his professional career.
The TinCaps and Captains move their series to Eastlake, Ohio, on Thursday night at 7:00. Fort Wayne is set to start left-hander Max Fried (4-5, 3.95) against Lake County’s Dylan Baker (6-5, 3.62). The game can be heard on The Fan 1380 and TheFanFortWayne.com.