Weathers Impresses in 'Caps Setback

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- The TinCaps saw a three-run lead slip away in a 6-5 loss to the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays affiliate) on a comfortable, mid-70s Wednesday night at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Fort Wayne (11-20, 44-55) starter Ryan Weathers threw a career-high 81 pitches as he held Bowling Green (20-11, 59-42) to one run on three hits over five innings with five strikeouts and only one walk. Weathers, the seventh overall pick in last year's MLB Draft who's rated as the 70^th best prospect in baseball by MLB.com, out-performed his counterpart Matthew Liberatore, who was the 16^th selection in last year's class and rated No. 44 by MLB.com.
The Hot Rods scored their lone run off Weathers in the first. But he wound up retiring the final 10 batters he faced in a row.
Meanwhile, the 'Caps scored three runs in the top of the third inning to grab the lead. Fort Wayne's first run came on a successful double-steal with Tucupita Marcano at third base and Dwanya Williams-Sutton at first. Then Agustin Ruiz added a two-out, run-scoring single to collect his team-leading 48^th RBI of the season. (That total ranks ninth in the Midwest League.) Justin Lopez added an RBI single after that.
The TinCaps extended their lead to 4-1 in the fifth when Williams-Sutton plated Jawuan Harris from third base with a single. Harris had doubled and stolen third. The 'Caps stole a season-high five bases, including a pair each for Marcano and Williams-Sutton. Harris ranks third in the MWL with 23 stolen bases for the year.
Bowling Green, though, chipped into its deficit against the Fort Wayne bullpen with two runs in the sixth and then surged ahead with a pair more in the seventh.
The TinCaps tied the game, 5-5, in the top of the eighth, only to see the Hot Rods push back ahead in the home eighth. All of Bowling Green's runs in the game came with two outs.
Williams-Sutton matched a career-high with three hits. Harris had the team's only extra-base hit. Marcano had a two-hit game himself.
The 'Caps entered the game 33-4 when leading after six innings and 27-6 when scoring at least five runs.
Next Game
Thursday, July 25 @ Bowling Green (7:35 p.m.)
- TinCaps Probable Starter: RHP Sam Keating
- Hot Rods Probable Starter: RHP Miller Hogan
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