Toledo Mud Hens 14, Omaha Storm Chasers 0 (box)
It was a long road back for right-hander Alex Faedo. When the 2019 baseball season ended, no doubt the 26-year-old former first round pick would’ve been shocked to hear that he wouldn’t take the mound in a regular season game again until late April of 2022. Much has happened in the interim, to put it mildly, but with his Lakeland rehab complete, Faedo returned to regular action at the appropriate level by making his Triple-A debut on Wednesday. He was electric.
Faedo scattered four hits, issued no walks, and punched out eight in his five innings of work. Former Tiger JaCoby Jones had two of those hits. In the process Faedo racked up 17 swings and misses, showing a good heater and his typically nasty slider as he worked over opposing hitters. He threw just 69 pitches, but perhaps Legendary Lloyd decided to keep it nice and ease him back into the swing of things, as Faedo’s teammates were absolutely hammering the Storm Chasers and the game was already out of hand.
Omaha started a solid pitching prospect in Jackson Kowar, and he was roughly greeted by Josh Lester, who cranked a three-run shot in the first to get the party started. Zack Short in particular had a huge night, crushing a grand slam in the fourth inning and coming back for a two-run shot in the eighth, his third and fourth of the year. Short had three hits total, and racked up seven RBI on the night. Jacob Robson cranked his third of the year in the eighth as well, lifting a two-run shot, while Kody Clemens also added a solo blast as the Hens hit three homers in that frame. Miguel Diaz, Angel De Jesus, and Logan Shore had no trouble blanking Omaha after Faedo departed.
Up Next: The Hens send LHP Joey Wentz (0-0, 5.73 ERA) to the mound on Thursday night. LHP Marcelo Martinez (1-1, 7.30 ERA) gets the start for the Storm Chasers with first pitch set for 7:35 p.m. EDT.
Erie SeaWolves 5, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 0 (Gm 1)(F/7)(box)
Adam Wolf put together a strong outing in the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader, making up for Tuesday’s rainout in Binghamton. The offense didn’t have a huge game in this one, but strung together big hits in a fashion their big league brethren should try emulating.
Wolf blanked the Ponies for five innings, racking up seven strikeouts while scattering four hits. Through three starts since making the jump to Double-A, the Wolf has been rolling, racking up 18 strikeouts in 13 2⁄3 innings of work, allowing just two earned runs. The 25-year-old lefty might bear watching for a cup of coffee if he can keep it going into the summer months.
Andre Lipcius got things going with a leadoff triple in the second inning. Parker Meadows grounded out, but Quincy Nieporte doubled to left to get Lipcius home. Eric De La Rosa followed with a walk, and Dane Myers went to the opposite field for his fourth home run of the season. After a few quieter innings, Lipcius sparked them again in the sixth, leading off with a walk and eventually scoring after singles from Parker Meadows and Myers.
Erie SeaWolves 10, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 2 (Gm 2)(F/7)(box)
The SeaWolves came back out for game two and rode the Rumble Ponies into the ground, though the six walks issued by Ponies’ pitching certainly aided the cause.
Gage Workman got them started, leading off the fourth with a double. Andre Lipcius then swatted a two-run shot, his second home run of the year. They extended the lead in a fifth inning that featured four walks, a hit batsman, a wild pitch, and four errors from the Ponies. With just two singles and a sacrifice fly, the SeaWolves scored five runs. They got three more in the sixth, with another walk and a hit by pitch playing a role. Andrew Lipcius and Dane Myers had RBI singles, while Luis Carpio capped the scoring with an RBI double to score Parker Meadows. With two singles and a walk, it was a nice Double-A debut for Meadows.
Reese Olson got the start, and he cruised through four innings before giving up a fifth inning solo shot. The Ponies got to him for another run in the sixth, but Olson allowed just three hits, striking out six with one walk issued. Brendan White took over with one out in the sixth and slammed the door the rest of the way.
Up Next: The two clubs haven’t announced starters for Thursday’s 6:35 p.m EDT tilt at Mirabito Stadium.
Great Lakes Loons 5, West Michigan Whitecaps 1 (box)
For the first time in Dylan Smith’s young pro career, the Tigers third rounder in 2021 had a little control trouble, and it bit him in this one. A hit batter and a walk keyed the Loons to a three run second inning that was the difference on Wednesday afternoon. Smith went four innings, allowing those three runs on five hits, with two walks and three strikeouts.
The ‘Caps actually got on board first, as Wenceel Perez’s strong early season production continued. Perez drew a one out walk in the bottom of the first and flew home on a deep line drive double to center field off the bat of Colt Keith. Beyond that, West Michigan struggled to get anyone in scoring position the rest of the way on a quiet day for the offense.
Up Next: The Loons will send LHP Lael Lockhart (1-0, 0.00 ERA), who is apparently not a Harry Potter character, to the mound at 6:35 p.m. EDT. The Whitecaps haven’t announced a starter, but April Dollar Days continue through Sunday and the ‘Caps have some good looking prospects on hand if you’re inclined to head out over to LMCU Ballpark.
Tampa Tarpons 10, Lakeland Flying Tigers 3 (box)
A solid looking effort from starter Nick Davila fell apart in the fifth inning, as the Tarpons launched three home runs off him in the fifth, blowing the Flygers out of the water.
Lakeland actually started the game off on the right foot, as four straight singles to lead off the third inning produced a pair of runs. Lazaro Benitez, Carlos Mendoza, Manuel Sequera, and Izaac Pacheco were all involved. And after Davila leaked single runs in the third and fourth, the offense came back to retake a one run lead. Mendoza drew a one-out walk and moved to third on Sequera’s double. A Pacheco ground out brought Mendoza home, and it was 3-2 Flying Tigers at that point.
The ill-fated bottom of the fifth started with a Pacheco error, and then a four pitch walk. Davila got a pair of ground ball outs and looked like he had it under control. From there it went two-run homer, solo shot, double, two-run homer, double, single, before he was mercifully lifted for reliever Andy Santana.
Mendoza, Sequera, and Pacheco all had two-hit games in the losing effort, with the latter two including a double in the night’s work.
Up Next: The Tarpons send RHP Juan Carela (0-0, 1.35 ERA) to the mound at 6:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday. The Flying Tigers haven’t announced a starter yet.