The old adage that pitching and defense win baseball games isn't necessarily accurate if a team can't produce any offense.
Such was the case Friday, as the Fort Wayne TinCaps wasted a tremendous pitching performance from starter Matt Wisler and lost 1-0 to Bowling Green at Bowling Green Ballpark.
A walk-off triple by Hot Rods hitter Todd Glaesmann walk-off triple scored Drew Vettleson from first base, giving Bowling Green the game's only run.
Wisler turned in one of his strongest outings of his career. He worked six innings, allowed three hits and struck out six. He did not issue a walk. Bowling Green's Parker Markel matched Wisler nearly blow for blow, hurling six scoreless innings of his own. Markel allowed three hits, struck out five and also did not issue a walk.
The TinCaps' (31-37) best offensive chance came in the top of the ninth inning. Bowling Green (36-32) reliever Jason McEachern, in a scoreless ballgame, walked the bases full. Before that inning, neither team had drawn a walk on the night. Fort Wayne third baseman Duanel Jones came to the plate with a chance to give his team a lead, but he struck out, bringing the inning to a close.
James Jones (1-1), appearing in his fourth game for Fort Wayne this season, worked 3 1/3 innings in relief of Wisler. In the seventh, eighth and ninth, he did not allow a baserunner. In the 10th, though, he faltered and, with one out, allowed a single to Drew Vettleson. One batter later, Glaesmann delivered a frozen-rope triple off the outfield wall in left-center field, sending Vettleson in to score the winning run.
Fort Wayne is now 2-5 in extra-inning contests this season. The TinCaps were 0-4 with runners in scoring position Friday night. The only TinCaps player to record a multi-hit game was Travis Whitmore, who extended his team-best hitting streak to eleven games. During that span, he has gone .333 (14-42).
Hot Rods reliever Austin Hubbard (1-4) earned the win, working 1 1/3 innings behind McEachern.
