Lee Orr paid close attention to how Bowling Green closer Austin Hubbard pitched Fort Wayne teammate Mike Gallic.The TinCaps trailed the Hot Rods by a run in the ninth May 20 at Parkview Field.FORT WAYNE – This is what’s called hitting your stride at the right time.
Cory Spangenberg had four of Fort Wayne’s 16 hits in a 10-2 victory against West Michigan in front of 7,884 fans Friday night at Parkview Field.
All nine batters in Fort Wayne’s lineup had at least one hit. Luis Domoromo had three hits, two RBI and scored two runs. Connor Powers and Rymer Liriano had two hits.
“Spangenberg is driving the ball all over the place. It just gives us another weapon and a spark plug as well,” TinCaps manager Shawn Wooten said. “One through nine, I feel comfortable that the guys are going to put good swings on the ball and make things happen.”
It’s the first time this year the TinCaps have scored at least 10 runs in consecutive games. Fort Wayne beat the Whitecaps 11-2 on Thursday.
“Anytime you’re going up to the plate and you see guys hit line drives it gives you some confidence,” Powers said. “Hitting is one of those things that is contagious. I’ve heard that for as long as I can remember.”
The TinCaps won for the seventh time in eight games. Fort Wayne (30-23, 60-62 overall) has a two-game lead over Great Lakes (28-25) for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Division. Dayton defeated the Loons 3-2.
Fort Wayne took two of three in the series from the Whitecaps. In the process, the TinCaps extended their lead over West Michigan (27-26, 59-63) to three games.
The TinCaps scored five times in the first inning against Whitecaps starter Kevin Eichhorn as nine batters came to the plate. B.J. Guinn delivered the big hit, knocking in two with a single to center field. A third run scored on a fielding error by center fielder Luis Castillo, making it 5-1.
Fort Wayne pitcher Keyvius Sampson went out in the top of the second and struck out the side.
“We call it a shutdown inning. It’s always a positive to go out there and get one, two, three for the hitters,” Sampson said.
Sampson pitched five innings, giving up two runs on three hits to improve to 10-2. He struck out six.
Spangenberg’s fourth hit, a double in the fifth, gave Fort Wayne a 10-2 lead. He popped out to third base in his fifth at-bat.
The TinCaps hit the road for four games at Lake County and three more at South Bend. The Captains and Silver Hawks have losing records in the second half.
“It doesn’t matter if you are home or away, you have to win ballgames,” Wooten said. “… I don’t necessarily look at scoreboards. I don’t necessarily look at what’s ahead of us, but I feel comfortable where we’re headed.”
Note: Former major league pitcher Steve Hargan, a South Side graduate, threw out a first pitch before Friday’s TinCaps game. Hargan played in the majors from 1965 to 1977, pitching for Cleveland, Texas, Toronto and Atlanta. He had a career record of 87-107 with a 3.92 ERA and was named to the 1967 American League All-Star team.
