TinCaps lose to Hot Rods

The TinCaps had a lead three times and each occurrence it slipped away.

The Fort Wayne TinCaps lost the first of a three-game set to the Bowling Green Hot Rods 7-5 on Tuesday at Parkview Field.

Fort Wayne (23-28)?led 2-0 after two innings but saw it disappear as Bowling Green (Tampa Bay Rays) tied it in the top of the third. Two more runs in the fifth gave The TinCaps a 4-2 advantage, but again the Hot Rods (33-18) tied the game.

The TinCaps nabbed a 5-4 lead in the eighth, only to see it vanish as the visitors put up three runs in the ninth.

Justin Lopez, who turned 18 on May 9, hit his second home run of the season in the second inning. He also had a double and finished with two RBIs.

Tirso Ornelas doubled, singled and walked twice.

Jared Carkuff took the loss in relief for the TinCaps, who host the Hot Rods at 7:05 p.m. tonight. He allowed two runs on three hits, walked one and struck out one.