The Fort Wayne TinCaps nearly rallied back from four runs down, but fell one run short in a 4-3 loss to the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays affiliate) on a sunny and warm Monday night at Parkview Field.

The Hot Rods (33-23, 71-55) scored four runs combined between the first two innings (two runs in the first, two runs in the second) and then rode a stellar start from Zack Trageton on their way to victory. Trageton, a 20-year-old from Las Vegas, threw a career-long seven shutout innings with two hits allowed and six strikeouts. The right-hander allowed just three TinCaps base runners in his first six innings of work.

Fort Wayne’s (24-32, 57-67) best chance to score off Trageton came in the seventh, when the ‘Caps loaded the bases with two outs via an error, a walk, and a fielder’s choice. Yet, Trageton bore down to finish his outing with a strikeout and leave the bases loaded.

The TinCaps crawled closer with a run in the eighth. Jawuan Harris tripled leading off the inning and later came home to score on a Chris Givin sacrifice fly. Harris now has 23 extra-base hits this season.

Fort Wayne’s bullpen turned in a third straight stellar performance, as Cody Tyler (2.0 IP), Franklin Van Gurp (2.0 IP), and Mason Fox (1.0 IP) combined to go five scoreless innings with four strikeouts and two hits allowed. So far in the series, the ‘Caps bullpen has tossed 14.2 scoreless innings with 19 total strikeouts and only six hits allowed.

The TinCaps entered the ninth down 4-1, and then things got interesting. First, Michael Curry smacked his eighth home run of the season leading off the inning. Then, the ‘Caps put runners on first and third with two outs and Harris coming to the plate. He lined a sharp double to the left-field wall, scoring the runner at third, Justin Lopez, instantly. Bowling Green’s left fielder, Jordan Qsar, had trouble picking up the ball, prompting Ethan Skender to try and score the game’s tying run all the way from first. Yet, a perfect relay throw to home nabbed Skender by inches and handed the TinCaps just their third home loss in their last 13 games at Parkview Field.

The TinCaps return to action on Tuesday, August 20th vs. Bowling Green at Parkview Field in Fort Wayne with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch.