Rushing and Diaz Homer, Loons Thrash TinCaps 5-2

April 26, 2023 – Midwest League (MWL) – Great Lakes Loons News Release

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Two longballs and five relievers holding the Fort Wayne TinCaps (4-13) to one run abetted the Great Lakes Loons (9-8) to over .500, and their third straight win a 5-2 final on a 55-degree partly cloudy night at Parkview Field.

Dalton Rushing, the reigning Midwest League Player of the Week tattooed a ball over the right field fence, for his fourth home run in his 15th game, a solo shot in the top of the seventh. Luis Diaz extended the lead to 5-2 with a missile to deep left field in the top of the eighth, Diaz’s first of the year.

TinCaps starter Garrett Hawkins retired the first six he faced in order. In the third, the Loons missed two opportunities to score. With two on and one out, Austin Gauthier singled to right field. The lead runner Yunior Garcia was sent home but was thrown out by right-fielder Justin Farmer. After a walk, the bases were loaded but the inning ended with a pop-up.

Great Lakes would push across the game’s first run in the fourth. Yeiner Fernandez with one out doubled to left field. He was moved to first by a Griffin Lockwood-Powell single to centerfield and advanced home on a fielder’s choice 6-4 put in play by Ismael Alcantara.

Ben Casparius was stout in his start. Despite walking a Fort Wayne batter, in each half-inning, he stranded four runners. The fourth was the right-hander’s best an 11-pitch 1-2-3. He extended his scoreless streak to 11 straight innings, the best by a Loon in 2023.

A bunt single and walk by Fort Wayne in the bottom of the fifth, bumped Casparius. Jack Dreyer got the next two outs, but a wild pitch moved both runners, and then a sacrifice fly to center knotted up the score at one.

The Loons took the lead back in the top of the sixth. Four full-count walks pushed the go-ahead run. Damon Keith, Yeiner Fernandez, Yunior Garcia, and Luis Diaz all reached on base on balls. Diaz earned his first RBI. The Rushing HR in the next inning gave Great Lakes a 3-1 advantage.

Franklin De La Paz in the sixth forced three groundouts, working around a pitch clock violation-aided walk. Benony Robles induced a 4-6-3 double play, but a second walk and then a wild pitch set up Marcos Castanon to produce a two-out RBI single. Christian Suarez after a balk, stranded Castanon in scoring position to keep it 3-2 after seven.

Luis Diaz provided cushion with his deep drive to left field. Suarez sent down 4-5-6, 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth….