LANSING, MI - A bases-loaded walk issued to Michael Crouse with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning scored Oliver Dominguez from third base with what turned out to be the winning run, as Lansing defeated Fort Wayne by a score of 8-7 on Monday night, sending the Lugnuts into the Midwest League Championship Series, and ending the season for the TinCaps.
Crouse's walk came on a 3-2 pitch thrown by Fort Wayne closer Kevin Quackenbush, and it came; following a lead-off ground rule double by Dominguez, a successful sacrifice bunt by Jonathan Jones, an unintentional walk to Peter Mooney, and an intentional walk issued to Jake Marisnick.
The TinCaps opened the scoring in the top of the second inning against Lansing starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez, when a two-out triple by Justin Miller scored Luis Domoromo from second base to give Fort Wayne a 1-0 lead.
A run-scoring single by Rymer Liriano in the top of the third inning increased the TinCaps' advantage to 2-0.
Control problems by Fort Wayne starter Zach Cates in the bottom of the fourth inning allowed the Lugnuts to not only get back into the game, but to take the lead as well.
Cates struck out Crouse to begin the inning, then, issued walks to Michael Knecht, Carlos Perez, and K.C. Hobson; to load the bases.
Robert Lara came in from the bullpen, and promptly uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Knecht to score. Matt Nuzzo then singled off the glove of third baseman Chris Bisson, the hit scoring Perez from third base and tying the game at 2-2.
After throwing one pitch to Dominguez, Lara was replaced by Adam Dominick.
Dominguez jumped on the first pitch he saw from Dominick and belted a three-run home run over the 23-foot-high wall located down the right field line, the blast giving Lansing the lead for the first time at 5-2.
The Lugnuts increased their advantage to 6-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Nuzzo followed a lead-off triple by Perez with a one-out single of his own off Dominick.
The TinCaps mounted a comeback in the top of the seventh inning.
They scored three runs off Lansing reliever Brandon Berl to close to within 6-5, with the key plays being an RBI-single by Bisson, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Rico Noel, and a run-scoring single by Rymer Liriano.
Fort Wayne tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the eighth inning, when Connor Powers walked, went to second base on a single by Rocky Gale, moved over to third base on a successful sacrifice bunt, then, scored when B.J. Guinn hit into a fielder's choice.
The tie didn't last long, as Perez led off the bottom of the eighth with his second triple of the game, and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hobson, the run giving the Lugnuts a 7-6 lead.
Down a run heading into the top of the ninth inning, the TinCaps once again fought back to tie the score.
Noel tripled off Lansing relief pitcher Brandon Webb, and came home on a single by Cory Spangenberg to make the score 7-7.
That set the stage for the bottom of the ninth.
Webb (1-0 in the playoffs) picked up the win, while Quackenbush (0-1 in the playoffs) suffered the loss.
Counting the playoffs, Fort Wayne finished the 2011 season with an overall record of 71 victories and 72 defeats.
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