TinCaps catcher Brandon Valenzuela belted a two-run homer as Fort Wayne beat the Lake County Captains, 5-4, on Friday night at Parkview Field.
Game recap from the Fort Wayne TinCaps:
Valenzuela Homers in Friday Night Win
Fort Wayne, Indiana (July 8, 2022) – TinCaps catcher Brandon Valenzuela belted a two-run homer as Fort Wayne beat the Lake County Captains (Cleveland Guardians affiliate), 5-4, on Friday night at Parkview Field.
With the score tied, 4-4, in the bottom of the seventh inning, ‘Caps right fielder Olivier Basabe hit a go-ahead, two-out single to center field to score Valenzuela, who had singled and advanced to second base on walk drawn by second baseman Jarryd Dale.
Initially, it was Valenzuela’s home run in the third inning that opened the scoring. That was the sixth homer of the season for the 21-year-old who MLB.com rates as the No. 17 Padres prospect.
After Lake County (6-6, 41-37) got on the board itself in the fourth, Fort Wayne (3-9, 30-48) increased its lead with another pair in the home fourth. Shortstop Max Ferguson drove in a run on a fielder’s choice grounder and third baseman Lucas Dunn added a sacrifice fly.
The Captains, however, equalized with two runs in the fifth and another in the seventh, before Basabe put the TinCaps back in front for good.
No. 19 Padres prospect Efraín Contreras started and went the first 4 1/3 innings, matching a season high for strikeouts with seven. Dwayne Matos went the rest of the way.
Next Games: Saturday, July 9 vs. Lake County (5:35 p.m. – Doubleheader)
Game 1:
- Fort Wayne Probable Starter: LHP Robert Gasser (No. 7 Padres prospect)
- Lake County Game 1 Probable Starter: LHP Rodney Boone
Game 2:
- Fort Wayne Probable Starter: RHP Ryan Bergert
- Lake County Probable Starter: LHP Doug Nikhazy (No. 19 Guardians prospect)
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