Allen Keeps Hitting, TinCaps Still Fall
FORT WAYNE – Austin Allen extended his hitting streak to a franchise record-tying 23 games, as the TinCaps fell to the Bowling Green Hot Rods, 7-2, on Thursday night at Parkview Field.
Allen, who replaced starting catcher Marcus Greene Jr. in the top of the fifth inning after Greene was hit by a foul ball, lashed an RBI double to left-center field in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the franchise record, originally set by former big leaguer Sean Burroughs in 1999.
Allen’s record-tying hit pulled the TinCaps (18-28 second half, 54-62 overall) within one, 3-2, but the Hot Rods (31-14, 68-46) scored the final four runs to waltz to the victory in the opener of the four-game set.
After Bowling Green started the scoring with a three-run second inning, the TinCaps climbed on the board in the third with an RBI single from left fielder Tyler Moore to trim the gap to 3-1. Allen’s double cut the deficit in half, but Tyler Selesky was thrown out at home trying to tie the game.
Bowling Green then scored one in the sixth, two in the eighth and another in the ninth.
Hot Rods starter Genesis Cabrera (W, 9-4) tossed five innings of two-run ball. TinCaps starter Anderson Espinoza (L, 0-2) allowed three runs over five frames.
The two teams meet again Friday at 7:05 p.m.