TinCaps third baseman Marcos Castañon blasted a walk-off single into the right-center field gap in the bottom of the 11th inning Sunday, capping a wild comeback win, 8-7, over the West Michigan Whitecaps.
Game recap from the Fort Wayne TinCaps:
Castañon’s Walk-Off Hit Lifts TinCaps to Wild Extra Innings Win
By Derek DeckerFort Wayne, Indiana (July 9, 2023) – TinCaps third baseman Marcos Castañon blasted a walk-off single into the right-center field gap in the bottom of the 11th inning Sunday, capping a wild comeback win, 8-7, over the West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers affiliate), on a sunny afternoon at Parkview Field. The TinCaps, who sit in first place in the Midwest League East Division second half standings, won five of six this week and are undefeated in their last eight series (6-0-2).
Castañon had hits in each of his last four at-bats and finished the contest 4-for-6 with three RBIs, falling a triple shy of the cycle. His eighth-inning two-run homer, the 13th he’s hit this year (T-2nd in the Midwest League) tied the game at 3-3 to help send the game into extras.
Starting pitcher Victor Lizarraga (No. 7 Padres prospect) shined, tossing six quality innings of two-hit ball and giving up just two runs. It was also the second straight start in which Lizarraga pitched six complete frames.
West Michigan (6-9, 38-42) struck first in the third when center fielder Roberto Campos (No. 13 Tigers prospect) ripped a two-run double.
Fort Wayne (11-4, 43-38) responded with a run of their own in the bottom of that inning. Designated hitter Albert Fabian came across to score when center fielder Jakob Marsee (No. 22 Padres prospect) bounced into a double play, cutting the deficit to a run, 2-1.But the Whitecaps scratched across another in the seventh on third baseman Luis Santana’s ground ball single up the middle, scoring first baseman Austin Murr.
After Castañon’s game-tying homer, West Michigan put together a four-run 10th, highlighted by a two-run single from catcher Josh Crouch (No. 24 Tigers prospect), and the Whitecaps took the lead, 7-3.
Fort Wayne immediately rallied. After Marsee’s single and shortstop Nerwilian Cedeño’s (No. 12 Padres prospect) sacrifice fly, Castañon punched a ground ball through the right side for a hit. In the next at-bat, first baseman Nathan Martorella (No. 23 Padres prospect), who was hitless before extra innings, launched a three-run homer to tie the game, 7-7. It was Martorella’s 13th homer, also placing him in a tie for second for most home runs in the Midwest League.
Reliever Aaron Holiday pitched a scoreless 11th to give the TinCaps another chance to win, and Castañon’s walk-off hit came with the bases loaded, two outs, and two strikes. The gap shot scored right fielder Joshua Mears (No. 14 Padres prospect) to win, 8-7.
The victory marked the fourth in walk-off style this season and the second of the homestand. The TinCaps are now 3-0 in extra innings this year.
All teams in Minor League Baseball are off Monday through Thursday as MLB’s All-Star Game takes place Tuesday in Seattle.
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