TinCaps go cold late in second straight loss to South Bend

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Fort Wayne scored five runs in its first three innings, but couldn’t hold onto the lead in a 9-5 loss to the South Bend Cubs on Thursday night at Parkview Field.

The TinCaps got on the board first when Kai Murphy led the home first off with a walk and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly from Ethan Salas (No. 1 Padres prospect) to make it 1-0.

The Cubs responded with a huge second inning. To start things off, Jordan Nwogu walked, Ed Howard singled, and Brian Kalmer walked to load the bases. Immediately after, Edgar Alvarez hit a grand slam to put South Bend (25-38, 52-77) ahead 4-1.

Fort Wayne (24-39, 52-77) didn’t stay down for long. In the bottom of the second, the ‘Caps retaliated. After Tyler Robertson walked and Addison Kopack reached base on an error, Ethan Long mashed a three-run game-tying homer to make it 4-4. The scoring run continued in the third when Robertson hit an RBI single to score Salas and put the TinCaps ahead 5-4.

After the third inning, the Fort Wayne bats went cold. While the Cubs scored five more runs from the fourth inning through the ninth, the TinCaps only mustered up three more hits from the fourth inning on.

Three ‘Caps had two hits – Robertson, Long, and Nerwilian Cedeño , who extended his hit streak to 11 games.

Next Game: Friday, Sept. 6 vs. South Bend (7:05pm)

• TinCaps Probable Starter: RHP Braden Nett (No. 20 Padres prospect)
• Cubs Probable Starter: RHP Nick Dean

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