From the Notes - September 10th

South Bend Silver Hawks (59-78 Overall, 2nd Half Wild Card)
vs. Fort Wayne TinCaps (94-46 Overall, 1st Half Champions)

Parkview Field, Fort Wayne, Indiana – 7:05 PM Eastern Time

Playoff Series: 1-0 TinCaps
Regular Season Series: 16-4 TinCaps
@ Coveleski Stadium: 8-4 TinCaps
@ Parkview Field: 8-0 TinCaps
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Silver Hawks Team Hitting: .247 – T-10th
Silver Hawks Team Pitching: 4.06 ERA – 9th
TinCaps Team Hitting: .266 – 3rd
TinCaps Team Pitching: 3.46 ERA – 2nd
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Game One: Simon Castro (WP, 1-0) threw 6.2 hitless and scoreless innings, leading the Fort Wayne TinCaps to a 3-1 victory over the South Bend Silver Hawks in game one of the best-of-three series on Wednesday night. The TinCaps scored a run in the first and added two big insurance runs in the eighth, jumping out to a 3-0 lead. That was plenty for Castro, who did not allow a hit in his time on the mound. South Bend’s lone run scored on a RBI single in the eighth inning by Reynaldo Navarro, ending the Fort Wayne no-hit bid. Brad Brach (SV, 1) pitched a perfect ninth. Eric Smith (LP, 0-1) suffered the defeat, despite allowing just one run over 6.0 innings.
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OTHER MIDWEST LEAGUE PLAYOFF MATCHUPS:
· Great Lakes defeated West Michigan last night 7-2. Loons lead the series 1-0.
· Cedar Rapids rallied past Peoria 6-4 in 10 innings yesterday. Kernels have a 1-0 series advantage.
· Burlington held on for an 11-7 win over Kane County last night. Bees take a one game lead on the Cougars.
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TEAM NOTES:
· The Silver Hawks have not missed the playoffs since 2002 (seven straight years of postseason play).
· Fort Wayne has qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
· The TinCaps finished the regular season with the best record in all of Minor League Baseball (94-46).
· South Bend lost game one of the first round at home in 2007, and then beat Dayton two straight on the road to win series.
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INDIVIDUAL NOTES:
· Reynaldo Navarro finished the regular season on a 12-game hitting streak, a personal high and the team’s 2nd longest this year.
· Alfredo Marte tied his season high 10 game hitting streak when he singled against Lansing on Monday afternoon.
· Tonight’s starter, Keny Sosa, pitched 4.0 scoreless innings against Fort Wayne on June 21st at Coveleski Stadium.