FORT WAYNE – In front of a sell-out crowd of 7,320, the TinCaps defeated the Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds), 4-3, on a record-setting night at Parkview Field.

TinCaps (24-13, 50-57) starting pitcher Michel Baez (W) continued to make his mark in Fort Wayne as he broke the Parkview Field record for most strikeouts by a starting pitcher with 14. Baez has shattered Midwest League competition as he has allowed only three earned runs and three walks while surrendering 15 hits and striking out 47 in 29 and 2/3 innings pitched. The 14 strikeouts rank second in franchise history behind only LaTroy Hawkins, who struck out 15 batters with the Fort Wayne Wizards against Cedar Rapids on June 25, 1993.

Baez, a 6-foot-8, 21-year-old from Cuba, threw 100 pitches—77 for strikes. He didn’t walk or hit a batter, while yielding five hits.

Meanwhile, Dragons (13-24, 54-53) center fielder Jose Siri’s single in the eighth inning gave him sole possession of the Midwest League hitting-streak record at 36 games. The previous record of 35 games was set in 1977 by Tony Toups of the Waterloo Indians. Siri’s record-setting hit came on an 0-2 pitch after he began his night with three strikeouts against Baez.

The TinCaps came out of the gate strong. Right fielder Jack Suwinski got the offense going with a leadoff single to right on the second pitch of his at-bat. Suwinski came into score on second baseman Nate Easley’s home run to left. The TinCaps led 2-0 after one.

Fort Wayne added to its lead in the fourth inning thanks to first baseman G.K. Young’s solo homer to right field. The offense stayed hot in the sixth when third baseman Hudson Potts scored on center fielder Buddy Reed’s fifth triple of the season to give the TinCaps a 4-1 lead heading to the seventh inning.

Relievers Diomar Lopez and Hansel Rodriguez (S) combined to pitch the last 2 and 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out five. Rodriguez was credited with his seventh save of the year.

The Dragons’ offense was led by second baseman Hector Vargas with four hits in four at-bats. Dayton’s starting pitcher Andrew Jordan (L) pitched 5 and 1/3 innings and was credited with all four of Fort Wayne’s runs while he walked four and struck out five.