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Fort Wayne and Clinton combined for 12 doubles Thursday. But it was the potential double Lumberjacks center fielder Maximo Mendez prevented that helped end the TinCaps’ 15-game home winning streak.
Mendez robbed Kevin Hansen with a diving catch with two runners on in the eighth inning. The TinCaps stranded those two runners, and 11 total in a 7-4 loss in front of 5,779 fans at Parkview Field. The game drew a record walk-up crowd of 2,375.
“We got the big hit. There just happened to be people playing right there,” said right fielder Daniel Robertson, who went 4 for 4. “When you are 16-3 and you’ve won 60 games, every now and then some things aren’t going to fall your way. When it’s not your night, it’s not your night, even when you are pounding balls.”
Left fielder Jaff Decker had three hits, including a home run, for Fort Wayne. But it wasn’t enough as the TinCaps’ lost for the first time at Parkview Field since falling to Lansing 9-2 on June 5.
Clinton used 11 extra-base hits (nine doubles and two home runs) to build a 7-1 lead. Fort Wayne scored three in the bottom of the seventh and had the tying run at bat in the eighth and ninth innings.
“We had some opportunities early. With this group, it’s just a matter of continuing to get guys on base and grind it out,” said interim manager Gary Jones, who is in charge while Doug Dascenzo is on vacation.
“I told the guys, ‘When you are in a situation where you get down early in a game like that, all you want to do in the last two or three innings is bring the tying or winning run to the plate.’ ”
Eduardo Perez pitched three innings in his first start of the season for Fort Wayne (16-4 second half, 61-29). The right-hander gave up three runs on six hits. He was inserted in the rotation as the TinCaps continue to manage the innings thrown by the starting staff.
“The guys gave themselves a chance. Perez, early in the game, although his numbers are not what they would like them to be, did a good job minimizing the damage,” Jones said.
The TinCaps trailed 3-1 in the third but loaded the bases with one out. First baseman Allan Dykstra popped out and second baseman Cole Figueroa grounded out to end the inning.
Figueroa hit a double to score two runs and get Fort Wayne within 7-4 in the seventh. Hansen appeared to get the team closer, but Mendez made a great catch in the eighth.
The TinCaps had runners on first and second in the ninth, but Yefri Carvajal hit into a double play to end the game.
“The guys battled and fought,” Jones said.
Also on Thursday, Anthony Bass was promoted to San Diego’s Advance A team in Lake Elsinore (Calif.). He is 9-3 and leads the Midwest League with a 2.19 ERA.
“It was one of my goals to hopefully end the year in high A. I’m pretty happy,” Bass said.
