FORT WAYNE – Despite a strong pitching performance and a late threat, the TinCaps fell to the West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers), 2-1, on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon in front of a sell-out crowd of 7,303 at Parkview Field.

The TinCaps (22-21) climbed ahead 1-0 in the third inning but couldn’t overcome a pair of late-inning runs from the Whitecaps (22-18), who won their second game of the four-game set.

Fort Wayne starter J.C. Cosme shined over five shutout innings, only allowing four hits and one walk while fanning four.

TinCaps third baseman Carlos Belen continued his torrid week with an RBI single in the third to start the scoring.

But the Whitecaps plated a run in the seventh to even the game 1-1. Then in the top of the eighth, with runners at second and third, West Michigan designated hitter Will Maddox lifted a fly ball to his former high school teammate Michael Gettys in center. Gettys made the catch and fired home, but as TinCaps catcher Kyle Overstreet applied the tag to Whitecaps left fielder Cam Gibson, the ball popped out of Overstreet’s glove, and West Michigan snatched a 2-1 lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

TinCaps left fielder Rod Boykin singled in the ninth to bring the winning run to the plate, but Whitecaps flamethrower Gerson Moreno (S, 6) buttoned up the victory.

West Michigan reliever Toller Boardman (W, 3-3) worked 1.1 scoreless frames.

TinCaps lefty Jerry Keel (L, 1-4) allowed a run in two innings.

Fort Wayne plays at home again Monday night at 7:05 p.m. against West Michigan.