Although Fort Wayne took an early 2-0 lead over South Bend on Saturday night, the Silver Hawks climbed back for a 9-3 victory in the opener of a three-game series. The TinCaps bullpen surrendered eight runs, six of them earned, marking the third time in the last six games that the Fort Wayne relief corps has given up at least six runs.
Matt Wisler started for Fort Wayne, working five innings and allowing one earned run on three hits. The 19-year-old walked one and struck out six. In his last two outings, the Bryan, Ohio, native has gone 10 innings, allowed one run, walked two and struck out 14.
He received an immediate boost of offense as both Travis Whitmore and Yeison Asencio hit solo home runs in the first inning. Fort Wayne (28-34) carried the 2-0 lead into the fifth inning. Wisler allowed his only run in that frame, and departed in line for the victory.
Chris Haney (0-1), added to the TinCaps roster on Friday, surrendered three earned runs in the sixth inning. Run-scoring hits by Tom Belza, Matt Helm and Marc Bourgeois pushed the score in favor of South Bend (32-30), making it 4-2. The scoring continued in the seventh inning against Dennis O'Grady, as he allowed four runs to score. One of those runs was unearned, though, as Donavan Tate committed an error, dropping a fly ball in center field.
Trailing 8-2, the TinCaps plated one run in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly from Kyle Gaedele. South Bend scored another unearned run in the ninth against O'Grady, as shortstop Jace Peterson committed a two-out error.
Silver Hawks starter J.R. Bradley earned the victory, his third of the season. The Nitro, WV, native worked six innings, allowed two earned runs on six hits, struck out two and walked none.
The two squads will play today at 3:05 p.m. at Parkview Field.
The scheduled starters are Ruben Mejia for Fort Wayne and Archie Bradley for South Bend.
