Game recap from the TinCaps:
De Leon Dominates Fort Wayne
(August 19, 2014) – The TinCaps lost to the Great Lakes Loons, 5-1, on a humid Tuesday night at Parkview Field. Along the way, Loons starter Jose De Leon struck out 14 Fort Wayne batters in six innings to set a new Great Lakes single-game strikeout record.
This was only De Leon’s second start in the Midwest League. It didn’t look like it. The 22-year-old from Puerto Rico picked up his first strikeout to end the first inning and then struck out the side in the second and the third innings, too. De Leon (2-0) fanned the first two batters of fourth inning before Dustin Peterson grounded out to third base to end the string of nine consecutive strikeouts — one shy of tying a MWL record.
In six innings, De Leon — who started the year in Extended Spring Training before posting a 2.65 ERA in 10 games (eight starts) for Ogden in the rookie-level Pioneer League — scattered four hits and no walks. His 14 strikeouts broke a franchise record of 12 held by Clayton Kershaw (2007), Victor Garate (2008), and Greg Wilborn (2010).
De Leon’s domination was the result of getting ahead early in nearly every single count. He only threw three balls to two hitters. His fastball wasn’t overpowering for the most part but mixed in with a highly effective changeup and curveball.
Fort Wayne (25-32, 55-71) scored its only run in the bottom of the ninth inning on a Peterson double that scored Jake Bauers, who was the only TinCap with two hits on the night.
That one run was for naught after falling behind 5-0. Great Lakes (27-30, 61-66) took a 1-0 lead in the third against Cody Hebner (1-4) on a Joey Curletta RBI double. Curletta later hit a two-run home run in the top of the fifth. The Loons also added two unearned runs.
The TinCaps and Loons complete their three-game series at Parkview Field on Wednesday — Standup To Cancer Night presented by Fifth Third Bank — at 7:05. Kyle Lloyd is slated to start for Fort Wayne against Brandon Martinez. The game can be heard on ESPN Radio 1380, TinCaps.com, and the TuneIn Radio app. It can also be seen throughout Indiana on XFINITY Channel 81.
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