Fort Wayne TinCaps 3, Bowling Green Hot Rods 2 In 10 Innings

Bowling Green, KY – Chris Murrill hit a towering solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, sending the Hot Rods into extra-innings on Saturday night. Unfortunately, the Hot Rods couldn’t muster enough runs in a 3-2 ten-inning loss to Fort Wayne at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Murrill’s first professional home run came with two down in the bottom of the seventh inning. After Robi Estrada grounded out and Ty Morrison struck out, Murrill took a 1-0 fastball from Robert Poutier over the right-center field wall to tie the game at 2-2.

The home run was part of a good night for Murrill. In the second inning, with the Hot Rods down 2-0, Morrison tripled into deep center field to lead off the inning. A few pitches later Murrill brought him home with a groundout to second base.

Fort Wayne opened the scoring against Aaron Dott just two batters into the first inning. Fort Wayne LF Danny Payne tripled to deep center field and then scored on a Jeudy Valdez groundout a few pitches later to make it 1-0 TinCaps. They added another run in the second thanks to a lead-off single from Jon Alia followed by a passed ball, a strikeout, a groundout, and then a run-scoring single from Payne.

After the Hot Rods tied it in the seventh, Fort Wayne nearly won the game in the ninth. They loaded the bases against Deivis Mavarez with only one out. But the submarine hurler started a double play by snaring a ground ball on the mound, firing to home for the first out, followed by a perfect relay throw to first by Mark Thomas to complete the double play.

In the tenth, the TinCaps broke the scoreless tie against Kirby Yates, but did so without a hit. Jonathan Galvez reached on a fielding error by Julio Cedeno. He took second when Danny Payne walked; both runners advanced another ninety feet after a sacrifice by Valdez. Yates continued to battle striking out Everett Williams for the second out of the inning. After falling behind Nate Freiman 3-1, Yates issued ball four intentionally to load the bases for Jason Hagerty.

With the bases loaded, Yates had a chance to face the batter who broke up the Hot Rods no-hit bid on May 6, as Hagerty singled on a 1-2 pitch in the ninth inning. Yates got ahead of Hagerty again, 1-2, before hitting him in the back leg with a curve ball for drive in the go-ahead run.

The TinCaps have now won the first two games of the series, dropping the Hot Rods to their third straight loss. The season series is at 4-4 with game three coming up on Sunday at 5:05 PM. RHP Jason McEachern (2-5, 4.93) takes the ball for the Hot Rods against Fort Wayne RHP Daniel Sarria (1-0, 2.57). Sunday is Super-Mega-Prize-A-Thon where the Hot Rods will give away more than 100 random, diverse, and fun prizes throughout the game. Some of the prizes the team will give away include restaurant gift certificates, 68 rolls of toilet paper, golf balls and tees, a set of crutches, and a diamond wedding band among many, many others. To see the full set of prizes and order tickets to join the fun, visit www.bghotrods.com or call 270.901.2121.

-- Team Release.