Game recap from the TinCaps:
Gettys smacks first career walk-off hit
(August 11, 2015) – Fort Wayne’s incredible home streak continued at Parkview Field with an 11-inning, 4-3 walk-off victory over the Quad Cities River Bandits. After Franchy Cordero doubled off of reliever Angel Heredia (L, 4-3), Michael Gettys drove him in with a single up the middle.
The TinCaps have won eight in a row at home — the last four in walk-off fashion. Fort Wayne (27-17, 59-53) won on the last at-bat in three straight games from July 31-August 2 against West Michigan, went on the road for six games, and returned with another walk-off on Tuesday.
The TinCaps continued their hottest stretch of baseball this season: they’ve won 11 of 13 games, a 2015 first. Manager Francisco Morales’ team is also a second-half best 10 games above .500, and holds a 2.5-game lead over West Michigan for first place in the Eastern Division.
Quad Cities (29-15, 74-38) etched runs out in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, all after Fort Wayne errors were committed. TinCaps starter Thomas Dorminy tossed six innings, allowing one earned run and striking out four.
The home team bounced back in the bottom half of the sixth. Jose Ruiz doubled and then moved to third after Luis Urias’ sacrifice bunt. Josh VanMeter — in his return to the Fort Wayne lineup — walked to place runners at the corners. VanMeter then attempted to steal second base with Ruddy Giron at the plate. River Bandits catcher Garrett Stubbs fell for the double steal attempt and darted a throw to the second base bag. While VanMeter pulled up, allowing himself to get caught in a rundown, Ruiz sprinted down the third-base line and scored.
The TinCaps would face another two-run deficit in the seventh. This time, Franmil Reyes and Cordero led off the frame with singles. Runners were once again at first and third, and another perfectly-executed double steal resulted in a run. Reyes charged home after Stubbs once again threw down to second base. Cordero was safe as well, and later scored on a Trae Santos grounder into center field. The game was tied at 3-3.
Fort Wayne has won seven of its last 11 wins in comeback fashion, erasing deficits in three straight.
Colby Blueberg and Yimmi Brasoban (W, 4-3) helped keep the score knotted in the late innings. The pair combined for three scoreless innings and four punch-outs.
In his first TinCaps game since fracturing his fibula on April 13, VanMeter walked twice. It was a long day for the Ossian, Indiana, native, who flew from Arizona early on Tuesday morning, arriving in the Summit City just a few hours before first pitch.
Fort Wayne tries for its fourth consecutive win on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Pete Kelich (0-0, 0.00) makes his 2015 TinCaps debut and faces Quad Cities righty Dean Deetz (1-0, 2.45).
You can watch the action on Comcast Network 81 starting at 7:00 p.m. or listen in on ESPN Radio 1380, Box Score, and the TuneIn Radio app starting at 6:45 p.m.
By Kevin Fitzgerald
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