Mike Couzens has been named manager of broadcasting and media relations, the Fort Wayne TinCaps announced today.
Brayden Drake had heard rumors about Parkview Field, but when the third baseman saw the ballpark for the first time, he was in awe.
“Hopefully I will be able to come out and play for a while here and do well,” Drake said.
He’s off to a good start.
Called up from Eugene on July 9, Drake hit a home run on the first pitch he saw Wednesday to help the TinCaps to a 3-1 victory against Clinton.
Catcher Robert Lara also homered in support of five Fort Wayne pitchers who combined for a three-hitter. The TinCaps (16-3, 61-28 overall) have won 15 consecutive home games.
“I told the guys everything has been clicking and they have been doing things the right way, that’s why they are doing as well as they are,” said interim manager Gary Jones, who is San Diego’s minor league infield/baserunning coordinator.
He’s managing this homestand while Doug Dascenzo is on vacation.
“Just because Doug isn’t here, don’t anticipate missing a beat. Continue to play the way they’ve been playing. They did that (Wednesday).”
Mike Watt followed a scoreless inning by Anthony Bass by pitching into the sixth to improve to 5-2.
Bass left after a perfect first as the TinCaps and the San Diego organization continue to monitor his innings pitched.
Watt gave up one run on two hits in 4 1/2 innings. The lefty struck out four and walked five. Nick Schumacher, Zach Herr and Brad Brach struck out six in 3 1/3 innings.
“Bass, the one inning was evident of how he’s pitched all year,” Jones said.
“Watt did a great job getting us to the sixth inning. Schumacher gets out of a jam in the sixth and Herr and Brach all year have nailed it down.”
Drake broke the scoreless tie, hitting his first professional homer to left with one out in the third inning.
“(Clinton pitcher Bobby LaFromboise), the first two innings it looked like he was throwing a lot of strikes on the first pitch. I’ve been an early aggressive hitter my whole life and I didn’t want to change anything,” Drake said. “I tried to block out the nerves part and went up there looking for something up in the zone and good to hit.
“Fortunately it was a good pitch, and I hit it well.”
A 12th-round pick in this year’s draft, Drake went 1 for 3 in his home debut in front of 4,016 fans.
Drake played college baseball at Missouri State University.
He earned Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year honors this spring after hitting .414 with 10 home runs and 54 RBI.
Center fielder Blake Tekotte followed Drake’s homer with a triple to right. Tekotte finished a homer shy of the cycle.
He scored on a sacrifice fly to left by designated hitter Daniel Robertson. Lara added his second home run of the season in the fifth.
Note: The TinCaps recognized Snider, the Class 4A state baseball champions, before the game.
