FORT WAYNE – The TinCaps overcame an early four-run deficit, but ultimately fell to the Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto Blue Jays) 9-7 at Parkview Field on a hot Monday night. With the result, Fort Wayne and Lansing split the four-game series.

Trailing by four runs in the second inning, the TinCaps’ offense awoke. Center fielder Rod Boykin got the offense going with a sacrifice fly to right field that plated first baseman G.K. Young and third baseman Hudson Potts. Catcher Marcus Greene Jr. then lined a two-run shot over the left field wall to tie the game at four.

Fort Wayne (23-41) took a 5-4 lead in the third thanks to a Boykin single to left that plated right fielder Jack Suwinski.

Lansing (35-26) knotted it up at five in the top of the fifth before Young belted his sixth long ball of the year to left-center field. The TinCaps led 6-5 after five.

The lead didn’t hold, however, as Lansing pushed across three runs in the seventh inning to take an 8-6 lead into the stretch.

Potts crushed the fifth pitch of his at-bat in the home half of the seventh to deep left field for his fourth home run of the year. The TinCaps trailed the Lugnuts 8-7 headed to the eighth.

Lansing added an insurance run in the ninth on designated hitter Mitch Nay’s first bomb of the season.

The Lugnuts scored two runs in each of the first two innings on Monday, benefiting from five hits and three extra-base hits.

TinCaps starting pitcher Pedro Avila pitched 5 2/3 innings in his Midwest League debut, allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks while fanning six. Diomar Lopez (L) followed in relief. On the other side, starter Andy Ravel got off the hook with a no-decision, while Griffin Glaude (W) went 2 1/3 innings and Geno Encina (S) closed out the final two.

Fort Wayne will return home on Friday, June 16, when the team hosts the Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds) in a three-game weekend series.