Toledo Mud Hens 9, Iowa Cubs 3 (box)
The Hens jumped all over Iowa in this one. They dropped six on the Cubs in the first, and this was good to see as half the Opening Day Detroit Tigers lineup was hitting for Toledo.
Nivaldo Rodriguez gave up two runs in the first, but Robbie Grossman immediately set to work erasing their lead, pouncing on Robert Gsellman for a solo shot to right field to lead off the bottom of the inning. That was Grossman’s first of the year. Hopefully he brings it north. Akil Baddoo followed with a walk and a stolen base complete with loss of helmet. Victor Reyes grounded out, moving Baddoo to third, where he scored on a wild pitch. But the Hens were just getting started.
Riley Greene singled and Brendon Davis walked, and Josh Lester cashed them both in with a double to center. Jamie Westbrook singled in Lester and advanced to second on an error. A two-out single from Zack Short brought Westbrook home and made it 6-2 Toledo after one inning of play. Greene looked good moving in the outfield. The Hens added on a few runs late, Tyler Alexander spun two perfect innings of rehab work in relief, and this one was in the bag.
Grossman: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, BB, 2 SO
Baddoo: 1-4, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 SO, 2 SB
Greene: 2-5, R, RBI, SO
Coming Up Next: RHP Garrett Hill (0-1, 7.55 ERA) had a rough go his last time out. He’ll look to get on track against RHP Cam Sanders (0-1, 3.63 ERA) on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. EDT.
Eduardo Rodriguez will start for Toledo on Thursday in his first rehab appearance on his way back to Detroit.
Richmond Flying Squirrels 6, Erie SeaWolves 4 (box)
Reese Olson was fighting it a bit in this one, and a three-run second inning from Richmond put Erie in a hole they couldn’t escape. Olson was decent overall, striking out six, walking two, but a string of hits in the second inning undid his outing.
The SeaWolves actually struck first in this one, as Dylan Rosa hit a solo home run in the top of the first. He singled in Parker Meadows in the second inning, and after Richmond scored three off Olson in the bottom of the second, Erie came right back courtesy of who else but Kerry Carpenter. The outfielder is just an absolute terror to face right now and he drilled an opposite field shot for his 20th home run of the season to tie things at three apiece.
Unfortunately, Olson allowed another run in the fifth before departing, and Gerson Moreno gave up two more in relief. Luis Carpio singled in Meadows after a walk in the eighth inning, but the comeback attempt made it no further.
Rosa: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR, BB
Carpenter: 2-5, R, RBI, HR, 2B, 3 SO
Meadows: 1-3, 2 R, 3B, BB, SO
Olson (L, 3-3): 4.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 6 SO
Coming Up Next: RHP Chance Kirby (5-1, 1.59 ERA) looks to keep a strong season going on Wednesday night. RHP Bryan Brickhouse (3-3, 6.00 ERA), who also holds a Guinness World’s Record for having heard the most outhouse jokes in one lifetime, will oppose him.
West Michigan 9, Lansing Lugnuts 5 (box)
Colt Keith and Bryant Packard both homered to back a solid start from Carlos Guzman as the Whitecaps took down the Lugnuts on Tuesday.
Guzman went five innings, allowing just one run with three strikeouts. He allowed that sole run in the top of the second, but the ‘Caps came back with a five-run bottom half of the inning and poured it on late. Wenceel Perez walked to start the inning, and Chris Meyers and Josh Crouch followed with singles. Packard grounded out to score Perez, Ben Malgeri followed with a single, and Daniel Cabrera tripled to score Malgeri. Corey Joyce singled in Cabrera, and it was 5-1 West Michigan.
The Whitecaps scored two more in the fifth, and then Keith and Packard homered in consecutive innings to build a nice lead. A three-run inning against Gio Arriera trimmed that lead but the Whitecaps had no trouble finishing this one off. Packard was just returning from the injured list so it was good to see him get loose. He’s dealt with some injuries over the past year, but he’s still only 24 years old. Wenceel Perez was a standout offensive performer with a pair of doubles, a walk, and two runs scored, while Daniel Cabrera put up a four-hit game.
Cabrera: 4-4, R, RBI, 3B, BB
Perez: 2-4, 2 R, 2 2B, BB
Guzman (W, 5-0): 5.0 IP, ER, 5 H, BB, 3 SO
Coming Up Next: RHP Dylan Smith (5-3, 3.07 ERA) gets the ball on Wednesday night. The Lugnuts send LHP Hogan Harris (0-1, 1.80 ERA) in opposition.
Lakeland Flying Tigers 4, Dunedin Blue Jays 2 (box)
Right-hander Wilkel Hernandez stretched out to 73 pitches in another rehab start for the Flying Tigers, and he was good. Hernandez allowed one run on six hits, striking out five in 4 2⁄3 innings.
The offense got started early, when Manuel Sequera lifted his sixth home run with two outs in the top of the first. Roberto Campos singled and moved to third when Justice Bigbie singled behind him. A delayed double steal saw the Blue Jays trade a run for the out at second. Austin Schultz singled home Esney Chacon in the second inning, and that was all Lakeland would need. Izaac Pacheco picked up their final RBI with a single to score Schultz in the fourth.
Sequera: 2-4, R, RBI, HR,
Campos: 2-4, R, 2B, SO
Hernandez: 4.2 IP, ER, 6 H, 5 SO
Coming Up Next: The two clubs meet up again at 6:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.