RECAP: Saturday Night Rally Falls Short

Box Score

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – After trailing by as many as six runs, the TinCaps rallied to put the tying runs on base in the ninth inning, but ultimately fell to the Lansing Lugnuts (A's affiliate) at Parkview Field on Saturday night, 7-5.

After there were two outs and no one on base in the top of the third inning, Lansing (6-9, 38-42) scored the game's first run on a double to the left-center field warning track by shortstop Euribiel Angeles to wheel in right fielder Danny Bautista Jr. from first base. Angeles later scored on a wild pitch to put the Lugnuts’ lead at 2-0.

Fort Wayne (5-10, 33-48) starter Dylan Lesko (No. 3 Padres prospect) recorded five strikeouts in five-plus innings pitched.

The Lugnuts then scored four in the sixth, headlined by a home run from first baseman Will Simpson (No. 24 A's prospect) that was deemed to have just barely cleared the yellow line of the right-center wall. They added three more, including left fielder Jonny Butler providing a two-out, two-run line-drive single that made it 6-0.

The TinCaps fought back in the seventh. Center fielder Homer Bush Jr. (No. 8 Padres prospect) singled to plate third baseman Devin Ortiz, who had doubled. Bush Jr. finished his productive night with three hits, including a pair of bunt singles, and an RBI in five at-bats. With momentum on the Fort Wayne side, catcher Anthony Vilar added fuel to the fire with a three-run homer over the right-center field wall that cut the deficit to 6-4.

The Lugnuts answered the call with a critical insurance run in the eighth as Butler tallied another two-out RBI hit.

Fort Wayne responded in the bottom of the eighth as right fielder Kai Murphy knocked an RBI ground-rule double.

However, the Lugnuts held on against the final threat in the ninth.

The 'Caps capped off their home series with a crowd of 6,201 fans.

Next Game: Tuesday, July 9 @ Great Lakes (7:05pm)

- TinCaps Probable Starter: RHP Enmanuel Pinales

- Loons Probable Starter: TBD

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