Toledo Mud Hens 9, Nashville Sounds 4 (box)
Nashville scored early, but the Mud Hens answered and then poured it on to win on Thursday. Nivaldo allowed two runs in the top of the first but tossed four more scoreless innings for the win. By that point this one was pretty much in the bag.
In the bottom of the first, Zack Short led off with a single, Josh Lester walked, and then both runners advanced on a passed ball. A Trayce Thompson ground out eventually scored Short and then Ryan Lavarnway lifted a two-run shot to left to make it 3-2 Hens. The added another run in the second inning but really blew it open in the third.
Thompson singled with one out and stole second base. Lavarnway, Brendon Davis, Jamie Westbrook singled in a row and Dustin Garneau reached on an error. The Hens had already pushed across three runs when Short drilled a three-run double to center field to make it 9-2. The bullpen leaked a pair of runs late but this one was never in doubt.
Short: 3-4, R, 4 RBI, 2B, BB, SO
Lavarnway: 2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB
Rodriguez: 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 2 SO
Coming Up Next: RHP Garrett Hill (0-1, 3.60 ERA) looks to build on a strong first Triple-A start last weekend. The Sounds send a strong opponent in RHP Josh Lindblom (1-1, 2.40 ERA) against him. Should be a fun one at Fifth Third Field at 7:05 p.m. EDT.
Erie SeaWolves 17, Bowie Baysox 1 (box)
Reese Olson tossed another really good game and SeaWolves’ offense just paddled Bowie’s pitching staff all night. 17 runs? 22 hits? 8 walks? This game had everything on Erie’s side of the ledger.
Olson went five innings, allowing just two hits and two walks, racking up eight strikeouts. Olson now has 62 punch outs to nine walks in 40 innings of work showcasing four strong offerings and starting to refine his command. The one blemish on his card came in the fourth when he issued two walks, sandwiched around an error at second base. Olson struck out the next hitter, but a one-out ground out scored the lone run for the Baysox before he carved up Cody Roberts for the final out of the frame.
Dylan Rosa bashed a grand slam in the bottom of the second which cued off the torrent of run scoring to follow. The Baysox were only able to hold Erie in check in the sixth and ninth innings from that point on.
Quincy Nieporte and Andrew Navigato added solo shots to the attack, while Erie collected seven doubles along the way, two for Ryan Carpenter. Rosa, Carpenter, Nieporte, Workman, and Meadows all had three hits in the game.
Rosa: 3-7, 2 R, 4 RBI, HR, 2B, 2 SO
Carpenter: 3-6, 3 R, RBI, 2 2B
Meadows: 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B
Workman: 3-6, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B
Olson: (W, 3.2): 5.0 IP, R, 2 H, 2 BB, 8 SO
Coming Up Next: RHP Chance Kirby (3-1, 1.57 ERA) takes on RHP Garrett Stallings (2-2, 3.55 ERA) as the two clubs match up again at 7:05 p.m. EDT.
Dayton Dragons 5, West Michigan Whitecaps 0 (box)
The Whitecaps just couldn’t muster any offense in this one which concluded after being interrupted by game on Wednesday. Trei Cruz and Austin Murr’s singles were the only hits on the day. Jordan Marks tossed two solid frames to start Wednesday, and Carlos Guzman took over in the third on Thursday. Guzman allowed a run in the fourth, and then was blown up a bit in the seventh inning as the Dragons scored four to put this one away.
Murr: 1-2, BB
Guzman (L, 1-4): 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, BB, 5 SO
West Michigan Whitecaps 9, Dayton Dragons 6 (F/7)(box)
The Whitecaps opened a big early lead and then answered ever challenge from Dayton in this one to win in seven innings.
The Dragons scored one against Bryce Tassin in the top of the first, but in the bottom of the second the ‘Caps answered back. Ben Malgeri was hit to lead off the inning, and Cruz and Jimmy Mojica followed with singles. Carlos Irigoyen struck out, but Corey Joyce singled home Malgeri to tie the game. A wild pitch scored Cruz, and Wenceel Perez followed with a two run single to make it 4-1 West Michigan.
Dayton got two more against Tassin in the third, and he gave way to Elvis Alvarado. West Michigan answered back again as Perez singled with two outs, and Colt Keith cracked his fifth home run of the year to make it 6-3.
Dayton scored three more runs in the fifth, but in the sixth the Whitecaps did it again, scoring three to pull away. A two-run double from Murr, who then scored on a Malgeri single back through the box, made it 9-6 and West Michigan held on from there.
Perez: 3-4, R, 2 RBI
Keith: 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, BB
Cruz: 2-2, R, 2 BB
Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps have RHP Dylan Smith (4-3, 3.00 ERA) going for them on Friday night against RHP Connor Phillips (2-2, 3.00 ERA) at 6:35 p.m. EDT.
Lakeland Flying Tigers 8, Tampa Tarpons 4 (box)
Brent Hurter is going to need to move up to High-A pretty soon. The big lefty with the nasty slider struck out 11 in six dominant innings of work allowing a solo shot but just three hits total. In fairness, Hurter had plenty of cushion as Lakeland’s offense dropped six on the Tarpons in the top of the first.
Izaac Pacheco led off in this one and reached on an error to start the game. Shortstop Manuel Sequera then homered to left field. The Flying Tigers were just getting started. Roberto Campos singled and Daneurys De La Cruz was hit by a pitch. Mike Rothenberg grounded out to first, but Carlos Mendoza walked and a passed ball scored Campos. Austin Schultz came up with a two-run single, and Pacheco lashed an RBI automatic double to center field to complete the damage. The bullpen leaked a few runs late, but the Flying Tigers took advantage of three walks in the top of the ninth to add on two runs and finish off Tampa.
Sequera: 1-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, BB
Pacheco: 2-5, R, RBI, 2B, SO
Campos: 2-4, BB, CS
Hurter (W, 2-2): 6.0 IP, ER, 3 H, 11 SO
Coming Up Next: The Friday night matchup is set for 6:30 p.m. EDT.