Cole Cummings hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead the TinCaps to a 4-2 win over the Dayton Dragons.
Game recap from the Fort Wayne TinCaps:
TinCaps Start Homestand with Win
Fort Wayne, Indiana (August 16, 2022) – Cole Cummings hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead the TinCaps to a 4-2 win over the Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds affiliate) at Parkview Field on a pleasant Tuesday night in their homestand opener.
Fort Wayne (18-25, 45-64) pitchers struck out 13, while limiting Dayton to four hits and a walk. After Efraín Contreras, working his way back from Tommy John surgery, went the first three innings with three Ks, lefty Gabe Morales had a sensational relief appearance. The 23-year-old from Venezuela struck out a season-high eight hitters over four hitless and scoreless frames. Another southpaw, Ramón Pérez followed with a perfect eighth inning, including a pair of punchouts, before Ohio native Nick Thwaits recorded his first career save in the ninth.
Cummings’ homer — his fifth with the TinCaps since joining the squad in late June — capped a two-run comeback.
Dayton (12-29, 51-56) initially led 2-0 thanks to a two-run homer from Steven Leyton in the third.
But the ‘Caps rallied after that. Second baseman Olivier Basabe came through with a two-out, RBI single in the fifth to cut the deficit in half. Then in the sixth, catcher Brandon Valenzuela hit a game-tying solo home run to right field.
Valenzuela walked with one out in the eighth before Cummings’ big swing to right.
The temperature was a comfortable 77 degrees at first pitch.
Next Game: Wednesday, Aug. 17 vs. Dayton (6:35 p.m.)
- TinCaps Probable Starter: RHP Dwayne Matos
- Dragons Probable Starter: RHP Chase Petty (No. 9 Reds prospect)
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