Toledo Mud Hens 5, Omaha Storm Chasers 3 (box)
The Hens built an early lead, and starter Pedro Payano hung in there despite issuing six walks in a five inning outing on Thursday. Aderlin Rodriguez singled home Riley Greene in the top of the first inning to open the scoring. Payano allowed a pair of run in the bottom of the inning, but the Hens came right back with four more runs in the second inning. Grayson Greiner walked with one out, and Daz Cameron launched a home run out to left center field for the first two runs. After Greene struck out, Spencer Torkelson walked and Isaac Paredes followed with a two-run shot of his own. Ian Krol, Bryan Garcia, and Will Vest shut down the Storm Chasers over the final four frames, with Vest earning the save.
Cameron: 1-5, R, 2 RBI, HR, 2 SO
Paredes: 3-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, BB
Payano (W, 4-5): 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 BB, 8 SO
Coming Up Next: Mark Leiter Jr. gets the start on Friday night at 8:05 p.m. EDT.
Erie SeaWolves 6, Harrisburg Senators 5 (box)
Following the Mud Hens’ script, Erie also built a big early lead, and they got an excellent start from Beau Brieske to make it hold up, though the bullpen did make it interesting late. The SeaWolves got an RBI single from Kerry Carpenter in the first inning, and then scored five runs in the second. Three straight singles opened the inning, with Eric De La Rosa’s driving in the first run. Yariel Gonzalez walked to load the bases, but Drew Ward struck out, and Dillon Dingler-in his first game back with the SeaWolves—lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. That brought up Kerry Carpenter again, and this time he mashed a three-run shot to right center field to make it 6-0 SeaWolves.
Brieske tossed five scoreless innings, but got into a little trouble in the sixth, as an Andrew Navigator error helped Harrisburg plate two runs in the inning. Gerson Moreno allowed two runs in the relief, and in the ninth, Cale Coshow got into trouble and allowed a run, but managed to punch out Gilbert Lara to end the game and collect the save.
Carpenter: 2-4, R, 4 RBI, HR, SO
De La Rosa: 2-4, R, RBI, 2B, SO
Brieske (W, 2-1): 5.2 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 SO
Coming Up Next: RHP Reese Olson gets the start on Friday night, with first pitch set for 6:05 p.m. EDT
West Michigan Whitecaps 6, Peoria Chiefs 5 (F/10)(box)
The Whitecaps fought back again and again on Thursday and eventually walked this one off in 10 innings. Jack O’Loughlin gave them a decent outing, tossing five innings of two-run ball with four strikeouts.
The Whitecaps took their first lead in the third, when Jake Holton hit an inside-the-park homer with Austin Murr aboard. Peoria tied things up in the sixth, but the Whitecaps got an RBI single from Austin Murr to score Reynaldo Rivera in the seventh. Zack Hess came on in the top of the ninth for the save, but allowed a run that tied the game, and left Bryce Tassin, his replacement in a jam. Tassin allowed another of Hess’ runners to score, and the Whitecaps came to the bottom of the ninth down a run. Jimmy Kerr turned the tide, leading off with a double. Murr flew out, advancing Kerr to third, but Jake Holton was hit by a pitch and then a balk scored Kerr to tie the game and send it to extras.
Peoria pushed a run across in the 10th, but in the bottom of the inning, their shortstop couldn’t handle a Colt Keith pop-up, and Gage Workman raced home to score. Keith advanced to second on the play, and Rivera lined a single into center field for the walkoff winner.
Murr: 2-5, R, RBI, SO
Kerr: 2-4, R, 2B, 2 SO
Holton: 1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR, SO
Coming Up Next: First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. EDT on Friday night. No starters have been announced.
Lakeland Flying Tigers vs. Clearwater Threshers (postponed)
They only got into the third inning of a scoreless game one before the rain came again and shut it down for the second straight day. They’ll try to complete the game on Friday instead, ahead of the regularly scheduled contest at 6:30 p.m. EDT.