Toledo Mud Hens 7, Indianapolis Indians 2 (box)
The Tigers are running very thin on starting pitching depth with the loss of Spencer Turnbull to UCL surgery. Hens starter Drew Hutchison is making a pretty good case to be the next man up. Hutchison didn’t get much run support, and he didn’t need it, allowing just three hits and no walks, while punching eight tickets in a seven inning shutout performance on Thursday evening.
The Hens did give him a slim lead in the first inning when Aderlin Rodriguez singled home Renato Nuñez. They didn’t score again until the sixth when a Kody Clemens solo shot made it 2-0. However, from there it turned into a route as the Hens scored two in the eighth, and then got a two run shot from Nuñez in the top of the ninth, followed by another Clemens long ball, this one also a solo shot.
Michael Fulmer made his first rehab appearance, which went fine. His command wasn’t great, allowing a leadoff double and then a walk, but Fulmer dialed it up from there for a strikeout, and retired the next two hitters on weak contact. Miguel Del Pozo allowed two runs in the bottom of the ninth to get Indy on the board.
Clemens: 3-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR, BB
Nuñez: 2-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR, BB
Hutchison (W, 7-3): 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 8 SO
Coming Up Next: RHP Pedro Payano (1-3, 5.87 ERA) takes on Indy’s LHP Steven Brault (0-1, 3.00 ERA) Friday night at 7:05 p.m. EDT.
Binghamton Rumble Ponies 6, Erie SeaWolves 4 (box)
Another day, another vulgar display of power from Spencer Torkelson. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to win the game. The big man opened the scoring in the top of the third with a rocket to left center field for a two run shot. Unfortunately, starter AJ Ladwig allowed a run in the bottom of the inning, and then crumbled, allowing the Ponies to rack up four runs in the fourth inning. Torkelson lashed an RBI double in the eighth, scoring Ryan Kreidler, while Brady Policelli knocked in Kerry Carpenter in the top of the ninth, but the rally ended there.
Torkelson: 2-2, R, 3 RBI, HR, 2B, BB
Kreidler: 2-3, 2 R, 2B, BB, SB
Coming Up Next: They’ll get back to work on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. EDT.
Lansing Lugnuts 5, West Michigan Whitecaps 2 (box)
The Lugnuts jumped on starter Keider Montero for a four run first inning and cruised to victory in this one. Sandel de la Cruz did put in a heck of an effort in relief to give them a shot, spinning four no-hit innings with just a walk allowed against six punchouts. Pretty, pretty good. A two run double from Gage Workman in the sixth accounted for all the Whitecaps’ runs. Eric de la Rosa added another two singles, and holds an OPS of .836, remaining a very intriguing story for the Tigers’ system.
Workman: 1-4, 2 RBI, 2B, SO
De La Rosa: 2-3
Montero (L, 4-7): 2.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, BB, 3 SO
Coming Up Next: Garrett Hill (1-0, 2.66 ERA) has been good for the Whitecaps so far. He’ll take on RHP Reid Birlingmair (3-4, 4.27 ERA) on Friday night.
Dunedin Blue Jays 5, Lakeland Flying Tigers 3 (box)
The Flying Tigers got out to a quick lead in the first, but starter Joseph Salazar struggled and the offense never really broke through in this one. Salazar allowed five earned runs and was lifted in the fifth, though he did strike out six on the night. Jose King manufactured the Flygers first run, walking to open the game, stealing second base as Nick Quintana struck out, and ultimately scoring on a two-out error by the Blue Jays. A Kingston Liniak triple scored Eliezer Alfonzo in the fifth, while a second triple in the eighth put him in position to score on an Eduardo Valencia sacrifice fly.
Liniak: 2-4, R, RBI, 2 3B, 2 SO
King: 1-4, R, BB, 2 SO, SB
Alfonzo: 3-5, R, 2B
Coming Up Next: Logan Shore gets the start for the Flying Tigers on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. EDT.