TinCaps Seesaw Past Chiefs Sunday

PEORIA, IL – In a game that featured multiple ties and lead changes, the Fort Wayne TinCaps walked away with an 8-5 win in Sunday’s series finale against the Peoria Chiefs.

The Peoria offense wasted no time getting started on Sunday, turning in four consecutive singles against TinCaps starter Eric Yost to begin the contest. A costly throwing error by Fort Wayne catcher Colton Bender opened the door to a three-run inning.

Darlin Saladin, with an early 3-0 advantage, cruised through two perfect innings. However, he ran into trouble in the third. Jacob Campbell cashed in Nick Vogt’s lead-off single to cut the deficit to 3-1. Then, Rosman Verdugo tied the game with a two-run blast to left, his first High-A homer.

Peoria danced back in front in the bottom of the fourth inning. After chasing Yost from the game, Brody Moore drove in a run off of reliever Joan Gonzalez to make it a 4-3 Chiefs lead.

Fort Wayne responded in the top of the sixth against Chiefs bullpen arm Hunter Hayes. The TinCaps loaded the bases with no one out. Hayes, who worked out of a bases loaded, no one out jam on Thursday, surrendered a two-run double to Bender to give the TinCaps a 5-4 lead.

As was the case all series long, the Chiefs seemingly had an answer. A RBI fielder’s choice from Brayden Jobert evened the score at 5-5.

With the game still tied in the eighth, the TinCaps punched back one more time against Peoria’s stingy closer Osvaldo Berrios. Back-to-back two-out hits from Wyatt Hoffman and Vogt pushed the lead to 7-5.

In the ninth, Campbell tacked on an insurance tally with his first High-A blast. Fort Wayne right-hander Jose Reyes turned in a 1-2-3 ninth to earn the win. He allowed just one run over four innings on Sunday.

Following Sunday’s loss, the Chiefs now sit one game back of Quad Cities for a second-half playoff spot with 12 games to go.

The Chiefs are off on Monday. They will head to Beloit to kick off a six-game series on Tuesday.