Early offense in both games of a Friday doubleheader at Parkview Field carried Fort Wayne to a pair of Midwest League victories over Great Lakes by the scores of 7-4 and 6-5.
In game one, Great Lakes (28-27) starter Gustavo Gomez (4-5) did not make it through the first inning. Fort Wayne (26-29) scored seven runs and sent thirteen batters to the plate, knocking Gomez out after the eighth hitter of the game. That scoring attack marked the third time this season the TinCaps have scored seven runs in an inning. Fort Wayne did not score again after the first inning of game one.
Adys Portillo (4-2) worked five innings and surrendered two runs. The reigning Midwest League Pitcher of the Week walked one and struck out five, earning his first win since May 14th. Dennis O'Grady, making his 2012 Fort Wayne debut, coughed up two runs in the sixth inning on a home run by Loons left fielder Scott Schebler. Matt Stites pitched the ninth for his fifth save.
Game two saw the TinCaps get on the board early once again. Donavan Tate and Lee Orr contributed run-producing hits in the first inning, making it 2-0. In the third, Fort Wayne knocked Loons starter Arismendy Ozoria (3-2) out of the game. The righty walked the first four batters of the inning, sending home the third TinCaps run. He finished having thrown two innings, and was charged with six runs, four of them being earned. Juan Noriega relieved Ozoria, and allowed all three inherited runners to score.
Leading 6-0 heading into the fifth, Fort Wayne starter Colin Rea issued his fifth and sixth walks of the night, and was pulled from the game. Luis De La Cruz (3-4) worked the next two innings in relief, with Daniel Cropper finishing the ballgame for his team-leading sixth save.
Between the two clubs on Friday night, 26 walks were issued in 26 innings of work. Loons pitchers surrendered 17 of those walks, and no Great Lakes pitcher walked fewer than two batters.
The TinCaps embark Saturday for the beginning of a six-game road trip. The stretch away from Parkview Field begins with the first of three against Lake County at 7 p.m.
The scheduled starters are Matt Wisler for Fort Wayne and Felix Sterling for Lake County.
