Toledo Mud Hens 10, Columbus Clippers 6 (box)
Spencer Turnbull was a little better this time out, though still fighting his fastball command a lot, and the Hens offense erupted to take down the Clippers on Wednesday night.
The right-hander threw 43 of 74 pitches for strikes, so he’s at least stretched out enough to return to the major leagues. He’s still a ways from his 2021 form, however. He allowed five hits and three walks over 4 1⁄3 innings of work, but did have the slider and changeup working well enough to punch six tickets on the night.
After a sharp top of the first from Turnbull, Parker Meadows got the offense going right away with a leadoff single and his 17th stolen base of the year. Justyn-Henry Malloy walked as well, and after Tyler Nevin struck out, Meadows and Malloy pulled off a double steal of second and third. Colt Keith was unavailable after being lifted from Tuesday’s night’s contest after a diving defensive play. Still no word on the injury there. So it was up to Andre Lipcius, who also walked, loading the bases. Wenceel Perez popped out, but Ryan Kreidler laced a two-run single to left and it was 2-0 Hens after one.
Turnbull allowed his first run in the top of the second, but the Hens roared back with a five-run bottom half. Eddys Leonard singled, stole second, and advanced on a Cal Quantrill wild pitch. Michael Papierski singled him home, and after Meadows struck out, Malloy ripped a double to center field to score Papierski. 4-1 Hens. They were just getting start though.
Nevin singled Malloy to third and the Clippers went to the bullpen. Andre Lipcius struck out, but Perez tripled into the right field corner to score both runners and make it 6-1 Hens. Another Kreidler single scored Perez before the inning ended. Nevin singled in Papierski in the third inning to make it 8-1.
Turnbull allowed two runs in the top of the fourth, but Leonard launched a solo shot with Isan Diaz aboard after a walk, and it was 10-3 at that point.
Rony Garcia and Blair Calvo allowed a couple of runs in relief, but a strong inning with two strikeouts from a rehabbing Will Vest helped them slam the door for good.
Meadows: 2-4, R, 2B, BB, K, 2 SB
Leonard: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, K, SB
Kreidler: 2-5, 3 RBI
Malloy: 1-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B, BB
Turnbull: 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 6 K
Coming Up Next: RHP Keider Montero has been promoted from Double-A Erie to make his Mud Hens debut on Thursday night. We’re looking forward to that. The 23-year-old Venezuelan right-hander has always had attractive stuff, and he’s really taken a step forward this season while higher ranked prospects like Ty Madden and Wilmer Flores have spun their wheels.
Montero’s game is built around a fourseam-slider approach. He’s been notable from the start for his 3000 rpm slider and it’s become a plus weapon much more consistently over the past year. The fastball is 94-96 mph with good life and a little extra when he wants it. A pretty good curveball and an inconsistent changeup round out his repertoire. Montero has had some walk problems, and he’s going to have to carry his recent trend of better fastball command to the next level. Still, he’s punched out 29.6 percent of batters faced and has managed to keep the home runs under wraps in a somewhat difficult home park for pitchers.
LHP Joey Cantillo (3-2, 3.86 ERA) goes for the Clippers.
In other Mud Hens news, the Tigers released C Andrew Knapp, RHP Kervin Castro (this one stings), LHP Miguel Del Pozo, and OF Grant Witherspoon, on Wednesday. Expect corresponding moves in short order.
Altoona Curve 4, Erie SeaWolves 2 (F/7)(Gm1)(box)
Bryce Tassin started Game 1, allowing a run on three hits over three innings of work. After the Curve took a 1-0 lead in the first, the SeaWolves tied it in the third. Ben Malgeri opened the inning with a double. After a pair of pop-outs, Justice Bigbie reached on a catchers interference call just in time for Jace Jung to double to left field. Malgeri scored, but Bigbie was thrown out at the plate. Michael Bienlien allowed three runs in the bottom half of the inning, and the Curve never looked back. A Malgeri solo shot in the fifth got the SeaWolves within two runs, but that was as close as they’d get.
Jung: 1-2, RBI, 2B, BB
Malgeri: 2-3, 2 R, RBI, HR, 2B, K
Erie SeaWolves 5, Altoona Curve 2 (F/7)(Gm2(box)
This was a makeup of a July 9th rain out. The SeaWolves’ bullpen did a nice job, and the offense strung together hits as required.
Dillon Dingler led off the second inning with a double and scored on a Corey Joyce single to open the scoring. Altoona got a run against Austin Bergner in the fourth, but in the sixth the Hens broke it open a bit with a three-run inning punctuated by a Jake Holton two-run shot. Lefty Andrew Magno allowed a run in the bottom half, but a Justice Bigbie sacrifice fly scored Ben Malgeri in the top of the seventh, and Magno managed to pitch around a pair of walks to close it out.
Holton: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, K
Dingler: 1-2, 2 R, 2B, BB, K
Bergner (W, 5-0): 3.0 IP, ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: Thursday’s game will start at 6:00 p.m. ET. RHP Braxton Ashcraft (0-3, 2.54 ERA) goes for the Curve while the SeaWolves haven’t announced a starter yet.
Great Lakes Loons 5, West Michigan Whitecaps 1 (box)
Wilkel Hernandez wasn’t bad in this one, but he couldn’t shut down the Loons scoring chances in the second and third innings. It didn’t matter much as the offense got two-hit on the night.
Down 3-0 in the top of the fourth, Eliezer Alfonzo drew a one-out walk. Andrew Jenkins singled him to second, and both men advanced on a wild pitch. Alfonzo then scored on a Josh Crouch ground out for their only run of the game.
Lee: 1-4, 2B, 2 K, SB
Alfonzo: 0-2, 2 BB
Hernandez (L, 3-8): 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: Fast-rising pitching prospect RHP Troy Melton (2-1, 1.91 ERA) takes on the Curve’s RHP Hyun-il Choi (2-2, 2.08 ERA) at 7:05 p.m. ET on Thursday.
Dunedin Blue Jays 10, Lakeland Flying Tigers 7 (box)
The Flying Tigers home winning streak was finally snapped at 13 games by the Blue Jays on Wednesday night.
The Flying Tigers’ offense was quiet through the first four innings while starter Carlos Marcano struggled, allowing five runs over the first five innings.
They got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when Manuel Sequera walked with one out and took third on an Abel Bastidas single. J.D. McLaughlin grounded into a force at second, but Sequera scored on the play to make it 5-1 Dunedin.
In the sixth, Jim Jarvis singled and stole second base to lead off the bottom half. Max Anderson grounded out, moving Jarvis to third, and Mike Rothenberg walked. A Cristian Santana sacrifice fly plate Jarvis, and then Jose De La Cruz walked. Sequera doubled to left and an error allowed him to race all the way around to score and tie the game at five.
Unfortunately, reliever Cam Brown was rocked for five runs in the top of the ninth. Lakeland got a lead off double from McLaughlin to open the bottom half, and went on to score a pair of runs, but never threatened to catch the Blue Jays.
Sequera: 1-2, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 BB
Rothenberg: 1-3, R, 2B, 2 BB, K
Marcano: 4.2 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:30 p.m. ET start scheduled for Thursday night in Lakeland.