Mike Couzens has been named manager of broadcasting and media relations, the Fort Wayne TinCaps announced today.
FORT WAYNE – Catcher Jason Hagerty braced for a big hit.
Lansing's Kevin Ahrens hit a slow grounder to TinCaps third baseman Edinson Rincon in the ninth inning of Sunday's game. Rincon threw home to try to cut down pinch runner Michael Crouse.
Crouse slammed into Hagerty, who held on to the ball for the out. Behind another solid effort from the bullpen, Fort Wayne held on as well for a 3-1 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 7,655 fans at Parkview Field.
Three TinCaps relievers pitched four scoreless innings as Fort Wayne lowered its magic number to clinch a playoff spot to seven.
"They did a great job," TinCaps manager Jose Flores said of the bullpen. "The last two nights they have held up there end and pitched well. They are throwing strikes and doing it with a lot of confidence.
"We got two big innings from (Allen) Marona. He's getting his feet wet with us, his third outing. All in all, the bullpen has been doing a great job. Especially knowing that we've been cutting back on some innings on some (starting) pitchers. It's been a big boost for us."
Marona gave up one hit in two scoreless innings to pick up the win. A 37th-round pick in the 2010 draft out of Northwest-Shoals (Ala.) Community College, the right-hander joined the TinCaps on Aug. 14. Sunday marked his first appearance at Parkview Field.
"I'm pretty much a middle relief guy, coming in two innings at a time. I'm glad to be here for the chance at the playoffs and for a championship," he said.
"I fired up the fastball, threw a good bit of two-seam fastballs. I just got some groundballs."
Marona replaced starter Jerry Sullivan in the sixth. Sullivan pitched well, giving up three hits and striking out two in five innings. The only run Lansing (26-29 second half, 62-62 overall) scored was unearned in the first.
Marona became the pitcher of record when the TinCaps (35-20, 71-54) scored twice in the sixth.
"In the dugout we were talking about just getting guys on, getting them over and getting them in. That was the mentality," said left fielder Wande Olabisi, who went 2 for 4 with a run scored. "We took away the selfishness and guys were just trying to score runs."
With one out and the score tied at 1, Rincon walked. Olabisi then doubled to right, placing runners on second and third. Everett Williams, the No. 9 hitter, followed with a single to right, plating Rincon to give the TinCaps a 2-1 lead. Olabisi later scored on a sacrifice fly by Jeudy Valdez.
"It was a big inning for us because it came from the bottom of the order," Flores said.
"Any time you can contribute from the bottom of the order is always big. Williams coming through with a big hit put us over the hump."
Jackson Quezada struck out one in his scoreless eighth. Miles Mikolas surrendered two hits, but nothing more in the ninth for his ninth save.
