By Kevin Fitzgerald

FORT WAYNE – Fort Wayne’s three-game winning streak came to end on Saturday after falling to the Great Lakes Loons, 5-1. Another sellout crowd, the 12th of the season, was on display at Parkview Field with 7,932 in attendance.

TinCaps starting pitcher Michael Kelly (L, 4-2) was nearly flawless in his first seven innings. The right-hander allowed two runs in the first frame with two outs, but then yielded just one hit from the second through the seventh inning.

For the first time in his career, Kelly came back out for the eighth inning. However, Great Lakes (6-11, 44-41) began the inning with three straight base knocks before Kelly was lifted for reliever Taylor Cox. Kelvin Ramos and Alex Verdugo drove in three runs to extend the deficit to 5-0.

Fort Wayne (11-6, 43-42) second baseman Luis Urias led off the home half of the eighth with his third single of the night. He scored on a Trae Santos double that was crushed off the left field wall. Santos now leads the team in RBIs with 33. But that was the only run the TinCaps scored.

It was another fantastic pitching matchup between Kelly and Loons starter Trevor Oaks (W, 5-5). The two previously squared off on June 26 at Dow Diamond in Midland, Mich. In that game, the pair scattered just eight hits and one run in 13 combined innings.

The four-game series continues on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. at Parkview Field and the probable starters are Chris Huffman (3-4, 3.00) for Fort Wayne and Kevin Guzman (4-7, 3.60) for Great Lakes.

Fans can watch the action on Comcast Network 81 starting at 1:00 p.m. or listen on ESPN Radio 1380, TinCaps.com, and the TuneIn Radio app starting at 12:45 p.m.