Mike Couzens has been named manager of broadcasting and media relations, the Fort Wayne TinCaps announced today.
FORT WAYNE – There’s a slump. And then there’s the cold spell TinCaps second baseman Jeudy Valdez had endured entering Saturday’s game with Lansing.
Valdez had two hits in 24 at-bats, a span of eight games. In his last four games, he didn’t have any hits.
That streak came to an end at the perfect time for the TinCaps. Valdez hit a two-out, two-run double in the third inning to give Fort Wayne a lead it wouldn’t relinquish as the TinCaps topped the Lugnuts 5-3.
“I feel very excited,” Valdez said. “I was struggling for a couple of at-bats. But now I feel good.”
Fort Wayne’s (34-20, 70-54 overall) five runs were scored with two outs as a sellout crowd of 7,827 at Parkview Field watched the TinCaps win for the seventh time in 10 games. Fort Wayne lowered its magic number for a playoff spot to nine.
“We’ve been fortunate to square up some balls there with two outs,” TinCaps manager Jose Flores said. “I applaud these guys the way they continue to battle. It doesn’t matter there are or what the score is, they are going to give you an at-bat.”
Valdez went 2 for 4 with two doubles.
“He’s hit a couple of balls in the last couple of games that he played hard on the nose but has had nothing to show for it,” Flores said. “For him to come out and get two doubles was a big hit for him. He’s been doing it all year. Everyone has peaks and valleys. He’s starting to put some good swings on the ball right now.”
Edinson Rincon had two hits and scored two runs. Everett Williams had a two-run home run.
Fort Wayne starting pitcher Pedro Hernandez worked out of a couple of jams to improve to 4-3. Hernandez gave up three runs on five hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked two.
Lansing (26-28, 62-61) got to Hernandez in the first, scoring three runs. Hernandez avoided further trouble in the inning when center fielder Danny Payne caught a fly ball and then fired home to cut down Balbino Fuenmayor at the plate for a double play.
“After the first inning, I got a little breather and got a little more relaxed,” Hernandez said through interpreter and teammate Jeff Ibarra. “I knew I had more time to get focused into the game.”
The TinCaps made the most of a majority of their opportunities.
Griffin Benedict singled with two outs in the second to bring in Rincon with the team’s first run.
Williams then drove a long fly ball down the right-field line. He waved his hands fair as he raced toward first to assist the umpires with the home run call.
The two-run home run, the fifth of the year for Williams, tied the game at 3.
Fort Wayne had another two-out rally in the third. Nate Freiman and Rincon singled. Valdez then laced a double down the left-field line. Both runners scored to give the TinCaps a 5-3 lead.
