{"id":118677,"date":"2023-07-27T23:59:42","date_gmt":"2023-07-28T03:59:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/?p=118677"},"modified":"2025-06-18T14:04:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T18:04:10","slug":"tincaps-recap-doubleheader-split-at-west-michigan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/2023\/07\/27\/tincaps-recap-doubleheader-split-at-west-michigan\/","title":{"rendered":"TinCaps ReCap: Doubleheader split at West Michigan"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Fort Wayne took the victory in the first game, 7-4, but the West Michigan Whitecaps won the second game, 6-1, on Thursday evening at LMCU Ballpark.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Game recap from the Fort Wayne TinCaps:<\/p>\n

TinCaps Split Doubleheader at West Michigan<\/strong>
\nBy Derek Decker<\/em><\/p>\n

Comstock Park, Michigan (July 27, 2023) \u2013 TinCaps second baseman Graham Pauley (No. 30 Padres prospect) smashed a go-ahead, three-run homer with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to lift Fort Wayne to victory in the first game, 7-4, but the West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers affiliate) won the second game, 6-1, on Thursday evening at LMCU Ballpark.<\/p>\n

The first contest of the doubleheader was the completion of a game that was suspended in the third inning because of rain on Wednesday. The second was a seven-inning affair.<\/p>\n

In game one, Fort Wayne (16-11, 48-45) first baseman Nathan Martorella (No. 23 Padres prospect) and shortstop Nerwilian Cede\u00f1o (No. 12 Padres prospect) each had a pair of hits, including a double.<\/p>\n

Catcher Colton Bender knocked in the first run of the game, prior to the suspension on Wednesday, in the second inning with a sacrifice fly, giving the TinCaps the lead, 1-0.<\/p>\n

West Michigan (12-15, 44-48) tied the game quickly in the bottom of the frame on catcher Josh Crouch\u2019s RBI single.<\/p>\n

In the fifth, Fort Wayne regained the lead on center fielder Jakob Marsee\u2019s (No. 22 Padres prospect) sacrifice fly, making it a 2-1 game. Then the TinCaps added to their lead in the sixth when third baseman Carlos Luis smoked a fly ball to right, which scored two more.<\/p>\n

The Whitecaps came charging back, scoring twice in the sixth and eventually tying the game again in the seventh on shortstop Gage Workman (No. 27 Tigers prospect) hit a run-scoring single, leveling the contest, 4-4.<\/p>\n

But Pauley played hero in the ninth, homering for the seventh time in his first 22 games in High-A. His blast came after both Joshua Mears (No. 14 Padres prospect) and Marsee walked.<\/p>\n

Reliever Ethan Routzahn worked the final three innings, earning the win while allowing only one run and striking out five.<\/p>\n

In the second game, Cede\u00f1o and shortstop Kerv\u00edn Pichardo had two-hit performances, but West Michigan came out hot and built a big early lead.<\/p>\n

After center fielder Roberto Campos (No. 12 Tigers prospect) singled to score the first run in the second inning, the Whitecaps exploded for four runs in the third, including back-to-back homers by catcher Eliezer Alfonzo and Workman, and the Whitecaps led, 5-0.<\/p>\n

The lone Fort Wayne run came in the fifth inning, thanks to Pauley\u2019s sacrifice fly, which scored left fielder Kai Murphy.<\/p>\n

West Michigan wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of that frame when designated hitter Andre Lipcius, a member of the Tigers’ 40-man roster rehabbing an injury from Triple-A Toledo, hit a bomb of his own.<\/p>\n

Next Game<\/strong>: Friday, July 28 @ West Michigan (6:35 p.m.)<\/p>\n