TinCaps shortstop Jackson Merrill pounded a two-run homer early as Fort Wayne cruised against the South Bend Cubs, 7-1, on a hot Wednesday night at Four Winds Field.
Game recap from the Fort Wayne TinCaps:
Merrill Homers as TinCaps Win Again
By Derek DeckerFort Wayne, Indiana (June 21, 2023) – TinCaps shortstop Jackson Merrill (No. 1 Padres prospect) pounded a two-run homer early as Fort Wayne cruised against the South Bend Cubs, 7-1, on a hot Wednesday night at Four Winds Field. The ‘Caps have won three in a row and are 12-6 in June.
Merrill is hitting .318 since May 5, which ranks second in the Midwest League in that range. The homer marked his seventh of the year, which ranks second on the team for the year.
Meanwhile, Adam Mazur (No. 6 Padres prospect) rolled, providing five excellent innings while allowing one solo home run. It was the first long ball he’d allowed all season across 47 innings. His season ERA is down to a measly 1.72.
Center fielder Jakob Marsee (No. 22 Padres prospect) had a 3-for-4 game, including an RBI double in the top of the seventh.
Catcher Juan Zabala doubled, extending his on-base streak to 14 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak on the club.Merrill’s shot opened the scoring in the second inning. He hit it with his parents, who are school teachers, in the crowd from Maryland. Then, in the fourth, the ‘Caps added on with left fielder Justin Farmer’s run-scoring single, making it 3-0 Fort Wayne.
South Bend responded with a solo blast by catcher Ethan Hearn in the bottom of the fifth, but that’s all they would get in the contest.
The TinCaps expanded their advantage with a three-run seventh, highlighted by an RBI double from Marsee and a run-scoring single by third baseman Marcos Castañon. First baseman Nathan Martorella (No. 23 Padres prospect), who ranks second in the league with 46 RBIs, chipped in with a groundout that scored Castañon, giving the ‘Caps a 6-1 lead.
Castañon added more insurance in the ninth with a two-out double that scored Zabala.
Relievers Henry Henry and Ruben Galindo both threw to perfect innings after Mazur.
Fort Wayne is on a 12-game road trip, which is their longest of the season. The series with South Bend continues through Sunday, while the ‘Caps travel to Lake County to battle the Captains (Cleveland Guardians affiliate) next week.
Next Game: Thursday, June 22 @ South Bend (7:05 p.m. ET)
- TinCaps Probable Starter: RHP Ryan Bergert (No. 24 Padres prospect)
- Cubs Probable Starter: RHP Cade Horton (No. 2 Cubs prospect)
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