Fort Wayne won 4-3 over Burlington (TinCaps are Midwest League champions, winning the series 3-0)
The TinCaps struck first, taking advantage of a second inning error. After a single and a walk, Robert Lara notched his second RBI of the playoffs with a bases loaded sacrifice fly.
Fort Wayne capitalized on a Blake Tekotte double to open the third to take a 2-0 lead. After Jaff Decker singled him to third, Vince Belnome notched an RBI fielder’s choice.
Decker than hit a two-run homer over the right field wall in the top of the fifth after a Dan Robertson triple ledoff the inning – giving the TinCaps a 4-0 lead in their quest to become Midwest League champions. Decker went 3-for-4 in the game.
Michael Watt retired the first eight men he saw before yielding a single. It was the lone hit he surrendered through four but he was touched for three runs, one earned, in the fifth. After giving up a leadoff homer, Watt quickly retired the next two batters. A single and two stolen bases put a runner on third. A Justin Baum throwing error scored the second run of the frame and a single followed to close the gap to 4-3. He would still earn the win – his first of the postseason.
The left-hander recorded one out in the sixth before being replaced by Alexis Lara. Lara worked an inning and one-third scoreless, striking out two. He gave way to Zach Herr who notched the only out he was asked to record.
Nick Schumacher worked a scoreless eighth to pave the way for closer Brad Brach. It was Schumacher’s third hold of the postseason; he gave up just two hits in 6.1 innings. Brach, nursing a one-run lead, struck out two in a perfect ninth – recording the final out on a strikeout. It was his third save of the postseaosn and his 36th overall this season. The Fort Wayne bullpen did not allow a run during the entire series with Burlington.
Their 101 wins tied a league record set by the Appleton Foxes in 1978. Appleton won 97-regular season games.
The TinCaps posted a 3.23 ERA this postseason across nine games, going 7-2.
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