Kody Clemens powers Mud Hens over the Saints

Toledo Mud Hens 8, St. Paul Saints 2 (F/7)(box)

After finishing the rain suspended Tuesday game, the Mud Hens and Saints locked up for a seven inning affair in which a Kody Clemens three-run blast, his second of the day, powered Toledo to victory.

The Hens got three solid innings out of Shea Spitzbarth, while Angel De Jesus allowed the Saints only runs in the fourth. Chris Rabago and Daz Cameron singled back-to-back to open the top of the third inning. Clemens, having hit a ninth inning solo shot in the loss earlier in the evening, cracked his 10th shot for Toledo to right center field.

Those runs held up, but the Hens came back for more in the sixth. Josh Lester led off with a walk and the Saints brought in Tyler Thornburg. Jamie Westbrook singled on the first pitch he saw, but John Valente grounded into a force of Lester at third. Jacob Robson walked, and Jack Lopez cleared the bases with a double up the gap. Rabago followed with a 2-2 home run, and this one was all over.

Clemens: 2-3, R, 3 RBI, BB

Lopez: 1-4, R, 3 RBI, 2B, SO

Rabago: 3-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR

Coming Up Next: With Elvin Rodriguez coming to Cleveland to start for the Tigers on Thursday, the Hens will be left to piece innings together on Thursday night.

St. Paul Saints 11, Toledo Mud Hens 6 (resumed)(box)

The resumption of Tuesday night’s game did not favor the Hens. Nivaldo Rodriguez took over Wednesday night after Michael Mariot allowed four runs over 1 ²⁄₃ innings of work. Rodriguez fared no better as he was rocked for six runs in three innings. The only plus side for the pitching staff was that Jose Cisnero struck out two in a perfect rehab inning of relief. He’s trending in the right direction to rejoin the Tigers after the All-Star break.

Josh Lester and Kody Clemens each hit a solo shot in the the game.

Clemens: 2-5, R, 2 RBI, HR, SO

Cameron: 2-4, R, 2B

Carpenter: 1-3, RBI, 2B, BB

Erie SeaWolves 7, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 2 (box)

Reese Olson wasn’t sharp in this one, but the offense made it a moot point by jumping all over the Ponies early to take their second straight game. The right-hander threw 48 of 78 pitches for strikes and only recorded two strikeouts to two walks and a hit batter, but he allowed just single runs in the second and the fifth before exiting.

The offense got it started right away. Daniel Cabrera led off the bottom of the first with an inside the parker to left field that, like most inside the parkers, probably should have had an error charged. Andre Lipcius lined out, but Parker Meadows walked and Quincy Nieporte was hit by a pitch. Wenceel Perez flew out to center field, but Dillon Dingler came through with a two-run double to left, and it was 3-0 Erie.

After Olson allowed a run in the top of the second, Eric De La Rosa got things going again in the bottom half, leading off with a bunt single down the third base line. Andrew Navigato and Daniel Cabrera followed with singles, scoring De La Rosa. Lipcius grounded into a double play, but Meadows followed with a ground ball through the right side for a single to plate Navigato. 5-1 Erie.

A Nieporte double in the fourth with two outs led to another run when Perez singled. They added one more in the seventh when Meadows led off with a triple, and eventually scored on a Perez sacrifice fly.

Cabrera: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR, BB, SO

Meadows: 2-3, 2 R, RBI, 3B, BB, SO

De La Rosa: 2-4, R, 2B, SO

Olson: 4.1 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 2 SO

Coming Up Next: RHP Chance Kirby (6-2, 2.02 ERA) takes on the Rumble Ponies at 6:05 p.m. EDT from UPMC Park.

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 5, West Michigan Whitecaps 2 (F/11)(box)

Lefty Matt Walker gave the Whitecaps an excellent start, spinning five innings of two-hit, shutout ball with six strikeouts. Unfortunately the offense couldn’t get much going, and the bullpen blinked first in extra innings to lose and even the series at a game apiece.

A leadoff double in the bottom of the second by Bryant Packard produced the game’s first run when Ben Malgeri and Carlos Mendoza each lifted a sacrifice fly to move him around. Wisconsin struck back with runs in the sixth and seventh after Walker departed. The ‘Caps were down to there final three outs in the bottom of the ninth when they rallied again. Jake Holton, Austin Murr, and Jose Crouch singled in order, the latter two of the infield variety, loading the bases. Packard struck out, but Malgeri lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Esney Chacon, who pinch ran for Holton. Mendoza drew a walk to load the bases, and the Whitecaps had the Rattlers reeling, but Cooper Johnson grounded out, sending this to extra innings.

Andrew Magno did a nice job in the top of the 10th to keep the Manfred runner from scoring. In the bottom half, with Johnson starting at second, Jose King bunted him to third, and Chacon lifted a fly ball to center field. Unfortunately, Rattlers’ center fielder Terence Doston cut down the ‘Caps catcher trying to tag and score.

Magno came back out for the 11th inning, but it went poorly as a leadoff triple scored the Manfred runner, and Magno wild pitched the run in from third. A pair of walks and a double blew the game open a bit further, and the ‘Caps went 1-2-3 in the bottom half.

Packard: 1-4, R, 2B, BB, SO

Walker: 5.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 6 SO

Coming Up Next: A 6:35 p.m. EDT start is set for Thursday night at LMCU Park. The Whitecaps haven’t announced, while the Rattlers will send LHP Russell Smith (2-4, 4.73 ERA) to the mound.

Palm Beach Cardinals 1, Lakeland Flying Tigers 0 (box)

A bullpen day for Lakeland went pretty well, but the offense couldn’t get any runs across as Palm Beach evened the series. Angel Reyes allowed one run in three innings of work.

In the top of the first, Cristian Santana led off with a single and advanced to second on an Izaac Pacheco ground out. Santana stole third, but Manuel Sequera struck out, and Roberto Campos grounded out to squander their best chance of the day until the fifth. In that inning, Jose De La Cruz led off with a line drive single, advanced to second on a ground out, and to third on a Mike Rothenberg single. Austin Schultz struck out, while Santana was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Unfortunately, Pacheco ripped a drive right to the second baseman to end the inning.

Campos singled and stole second in the sixth, but was stranded as well. So it went. A pair of walks and a two-out Pacheco infield single loaded the bases again in the seventh, but Sequera grounded out. They had their chances, but went quietly over the final two frames.

Rothenberg: 1-3, BB

Santana: 1-3, SO, SB

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:30 p.m. EDT start in Jupiter on Thursday night.