Kyle Gaedele and Austin Hedges came up with clutch hits in Fort Wayne’s final at bat on Wednesday to fuel a 3-2 TinCap rallying win over Lansing at Parkview Field.
Down to its final out and fighting for a series victory, Fort Wayne got a walk-off base hit by Gaedele that scored Duanel Jones to secure the victory. That hit was preceded by Hedges’ game-tying home run two batters earlier.
Lansing (3-3 second half, 50-25) held an early 1-0 lead against Fort Wayne (4-2, 35-41) starter Ruben Mejia in the second inning. An Andy Fermin single to right plated Andy Burns, putting the TinCaps in a hole. But Fort Wayne answered back in the third, as Felix Cabrera grounded into a game-tying double play, bringing Gaedele home to score.
The score remained tied 1-1 until the sixth, when Lansing chipped away at reliever Dennis O’Grady, taking a 2-1 lead. O’Grady delivered two innings of relief behind Mejia, who worked four frames.
After scoring once in the third, the TinCaps had one runner reach base in each of the next five innings, but couldn’t get a run across. In the ninth, the first two batters were retired by Lugnuts closer Ajay Meyer (3-2). Hedges delivered the equalizer, a solo home run to left field, tying the game at two. Duanel Jones then coaxed a walk, moved to second on a Meyer balk, and scored on Gaedele’s game-ending hit.
Fort Wayne secured a series win over the Lugnuts for the first time since August of 2011, and notched a 4-2 record in the first homestand of the second half. Johnny Barbato (5-0), who pitched the top of the ninth for the TinCaps, was awarded the win.
