Erie SeaWolves win first half division title; Jobe dominates in second rehab start

St. Paul Saints 4, Toledo Mud Hens 2 (Fri)(box)

St. Paul Saints 9, Toledo Mud Hens 7 (Sat)(box)

Toledo Mud Hens 20, St. Paul Saints 9 (Sun)(box)

The Mud Hens lost their 10th in a row on Saturday, and you had to wonder what the heck was going on with the Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate. Much like their parent club, the bats finally came to play in a big way on Sunday as they crushed the Saints to salvage one game in the set.

On Friday, Keider Montero continued to struggle with the walks, and the at-bats were not good all night as the losing streak continued.

Montero pitched around a single and a walk in the bottom of the first inning. Three walks issued by the Saints in the top of the second led to a run for Toledo, but on an Andrew Navigato single with men on first and second, Matt Wallner threw out Ryan Vilade trying to score and cut the rally off at the knees.

Three walks and a bunt led to a run for the Saints and tied things at 1-1. Montero pulled it together to strike out Edouard Julien and Brooks Lee to escape that inning without more trouble. He then settled in for a pair of scoreless frames. Still, he got no run support. In the fifth inning, a one-out single from Lee was followed by a two-run shot by Wallner on a poorly located 1-1 fastball, and it was 3-1 Saints.

More walks and a wild pitch gave the Hens another run in the sixth. That was all they could manage despite drawing a ludicrous 12 walks in the contest. Lael Lockhart Jr. got some relief work in this one and allowed a run in the eighth.

Meadows: 1-4, BB, K, CS

Torkelson: 1-3, 2 BB, 2 K

Vilade: 1-1, 3 BB

Montero (L, 1-4): 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 5 K

Saturday’s contest didn’t go any better, as Matt Manning was absolutely shelled for eight runs, including three homers, in four innings of work. The offense meanwhile did nothing for eight innings, erupting for a cute seven run burst in the ninth before falling short anyway. This was the Mud Hens 10th straight loss and one has to wonder what the heck is going on with the affiliate in general right now.

The Twins affiliate got to work in the bottom of the first. Edouard Julien and Brooks Lee started the inning with singles and then pulled off a double steal on Manning and catcher Anthony Bemboom. A Yunior Severino single made it 2-0 Saints.

In the second, a Tony Kemp leadoff double and a pair of walks set the table for Matt Wallner, who plated a pair of runs with a single. In the third, Manning gave up back-to-back homers on a fastball and a sweeper, and was then drilled in the back by a line drive before getting out of the inning. Finally, Manning recorded a scoreless frame in the fourth, only to give up a solo shot and then a double before departing in the fifth. Easton Lucas came on an allowed the inherited runner to score, and it was 8-0.

The Hens only had three hits at that point. Alex Faedo made a rehab appearance and allowed a run in the seventh inning.

Parker Meadows led off the ninth with a walk and took second on a Spencer Torkelson line drive single to right field on a 92 mph fastball. Dillon Dingler struck out, but Bligh Madris walked, a wild pitch scored Meadows, and an Eddys Leonard double scored Torkelson. Ryan Vilade walked to re-load the bases and the Saints brought in Nick Wittgren to close the door. It took a while.

Anthony Bemboom singled in Madris, and Andrew Navigato stepped to the plate with two outs and launched a grand slam to straightaway center field. A Meadows single followed as the Hens batted around, but Torkelson chased a slider away in a full count and struck out to end it.

Vilade: 2-3, R, RBI, 2B

Navigato: 1-4, R, 4 RBI, HR, 2 K

Manning (L, 2-2): 4.0 IP, 8 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 4 K

On Sunday, Ty Madden got thoroughly blown up yet again. However, he still did a lot better than the Twins’ Louis Varland. The Hens pounded out 20 hits including seven home runs to crush the Saints.

Parker Meadows led off the game with a solo shot, his eighth since getting sent down. Spencer Torkelson followed with a single, and Dillon Dingler launched a massive 435 foot, two-run shot to left to start Madden off with a 3-0 lead. It wasn’t enough.

Madden walked two of the first three batters he faced and allowed a single to the other one. The Saints sent nine men to the plate and scored five runs.

The second started with doubles from Riley Unroe and Alvaro Gonzalez before Andrew Navigato cracked his 10th home run of the season to re-take the lead. Meadows reached on an error and Torkelson struck out before Dingler stepped to the dish and crushed another home run to left to make it 8-5 Hens.

Madden settled down in the second and third, while his teammates kept putting up big innings. Riley Unroe hit a solo shot, his first of the year, in the top of the third, and the Hens went on to score three more in the inning. Meadows two-run double was the big blow, but Dingler followed a Torkelson pop-up with a solid single to plate Meadows and it was 12-5 Hens.

They hadn’t even peaked yet, as they would then score seven in the fourth inning. A three-run shot from Bligh Madris capped the fourth inning rampage, and it was 19-5 Hens when the smoke finally cleared.

Madden was knocked around for three more runs in the bottom of the fourth before exiting in the fifth. Trey Wingenter allowed an inherited runner to score, but the bullpen was really good the rest of the way. Of course, this one was pretty well over anyway. Ryan Vilade added a solo shot in the top of the ninth to make a nice round number on the scoreboard.

Dingler: 3-5, 2 R, 7 RBI, 2 HR

Meadows: 2-5, 4 R, 3 RBI, 2B, HR

Unroe: 5-6, 3 R, RBI, 2 2B, HR

Navigato: 2-4, 3 R, 4 RBI, HR, 2 BB, K

Madden: 4.0 IP, 9 R, 8 ER, 10 H, 5 BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: The Hens are home against the Louisville Bats next week.

Erie SeaWolves 8, Somerset Patriots 2 (Fri)(box)

Erie SeaWolves 10, Somerset Patriots 7 (Gm1)(Sun)(box)

Erie SeaWolves 11, Somerset Patriots 5 (Gm2)(F/7)(Sun)(box)

The SeaWolves needed a good series to give themselves a chance at the division first half title, and they got it done in style. After losing the first of the series, they took five in a row to win a third straight postseason berth under manager Gabe Alvarez. Congratulations to Gabe, the team, the staff, Greg Gania and Sam Lebowitz, the whole crew.

On Friday night, the SeaWolves took a 3-1 lead in the series with their third straight victory.

Troy Melton got the start in this one and was excellent. He allowed a single and then a home run in the first inning, but blanked them the rest of the way. Melton spun six innings, allowing just three hits and two walks, striking out seven.

Meanwhile, the offense took the lead back in the top of the second inning. Chris Meyers led off with a double and Stephen Scott singled him to third. A Ben Malgeri sac fly scored Meyers, and Eliezer Alfonzo singled to keep the rally alive. A two-run double from Gage Workman made it 3-2. Carlos Mendoza was then hit by a pitch for the third straight day, and a wild pitch moved he and Workman up 90 feet. A Hao-Yu Lee grounder ended the inning, but remember that hit by pitch on Mendoza for later.

In the fifth, Malgeri doubled in Scott and Trei Cruz to make it 5-2. Melton showed off his pickoff move in the third and again in the fifth, erasing two of the few baserunners he allowed to reach. He also hit Jesus Rodriguez to open the sixth inning, evening the hit by pitch count.

In the eighth, Alfonzo doubled with one out and scored on a Workman single to make it 6-2. The top of the ninth opened with Hao-Yu Lee getting drilled in the helmet for the second time in a week. Somerset’s stadium crew apparently thought this was amusing, cueing up the theme from MASH while Lee was attended to. Maybe save that for the strained hamstrings and sprained ankles. Lee was on the ground for a few minutes and did not play the rest of the weekend.

No sooner had Lee gotten to his feet and left the field than Jake Holton was hit by a pitch as well. Meyers singled in Brady Allen, who pinch ran for Lee, and a wild pitch then scored Holton. 8-2 SeaWolves.

Clearly reliever McKinley Moore had little idea where his stuff was going, so presumably there was no intent, but after five hit batters in the series and in a developing blow-out situation, Erie did not take kindly to all this. Hard-throwing right-hander Joel Peguero came on to close this one out, despite the big lead. He immediately buzzed Benjamin Cowles up and inside and that drew a warning to both dugouts. The Patriots were doing a lot of complaining for a team that hit three guys, including the SeaWolves’ best player in Lee, in the head just minutes earlier.

Whoever called for the hit, manager Gabe Alvarez or Peguero on his own, the next pitch was clearly intentional. Peguero fired a 98 mph heater right into Cowles arm, got ejected, and then both dugouts emptied with the usual arguing and pushing and shoving. Nothing serious developed, and Tim Naughton got loose and came on to finish out the inning with no issues.

Meyers: 2-4, R, RBI, 2B, BB, K

Alfonzo: 3-5, 2 R, 2B

Workman: 2-4, 3 RBI, 2B, 2 K, CS

Melton (W, 3-5): 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K

On Saturday the game was postponed after an inning due to inclement weather, so they played a doubleheader on Sunday instead.

Knowing a postponement was possible, manager Gabe Alvarez wisely used Trevin Michael as an opener on Saturday. He gave up a run, but lefty Carlos Peña was thus ready to take over in the second inning on Sunday. He spun 4 ²⁄₃ innings of one -run ball, allowing a run in the second inning that gave Somerset a 2-0 lead.

That lead didn’t last long. Carlos Mendoza, rapidly becoming one of my favorite players to watch in the system because he is always doing something, singled with two outs in the third, stole second, and eventually scored on a Jake Holton single to cut the lead in half.

In the top of the fourth, Stephen Scott led off with a solo shot that tied the game at 2-2. Ben Malgeri followed with a double and Eliezer Alfonzo a single before Trei Cruz smoked an oppo drive over the left field wall for a three-run shot. It was 5-2, but with one out, Mendoza singled, stole second, and took third on a wild throw from Somerset’s catcher. I’ll telling you other teams HATE this man, but he would score anyway on a wild pitch to make it 6-2 Erie.

The SeaWolves added a run in the sixth, and one more in the seventh on a Carlos Mendoza hit by pitch, his third of the series, this time with the bases loaded. Gage Workman singled in Cruz in the top of the ninth for their final run.

The bullpen melted down in the eighth and ninth, but the game was out of reach.

Cruz: 4-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, 2 SB

Mendoza: 2-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 K, HBP, 2 SB

Pena (W, 2-3): 4.2 IP, ER, 8 H, BB, 4 K

The SeaWolves had to go with a bullpen day in a seven-inning Game 2 and knew they needed a victory. Somerset took an early lead, but then news of Harrisburg’s loss filtered through and the SeaWolves broke loose at the plate.

Michael Bienlien gave them three innings to start the game out of the pen. He got knocked around for four runs in a long third inning, but that Somerset lead didn’t last long either.

The SeaWolves had already scored a run in the first when Mendoza singled, got wild pitched to second, took third on a passed ball, and scored on a Chris Meyers ground out.

In the top of the fourth, Stephen Scott led off with a double and stole third with one out. Trei Cruz walked, and Julio E. Rodriguez doubled in Scott. Brady Allen walked on a wild pitch that scored Cruz, and Gage Workman blasted a three-run shot to make it 6-4 Erie.

Scott and Malgeri led off the fifth with walks and moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch. Rodriguez walked to load the bases, Brady Allen walked to force in a run, and Christian Molfetta singled in Malgeri. Workman followed with a two-run single, and a Holton sacrifice fly scored Molfetta to make it 11-4 Erie. The bullpen allowed one run in the sixth before wrapping this one up.

Workman: 2-4, R, 5 RBI, HR, 2 K

Scott: 1-3, 2 R, 2B, BB

Allen: 1-2 2 R, RBI, 2 BB, K

Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves now welcome in those very same Harrisburg Senators for six to kick off the Eastern League’s second half.

West Michigan Whitecaps 8, Dayton Dragons 1 (Fri)(box)

West Michigan Whitecaps 8, Dayton Dragons 4 (Sat)(box)

West Michigan Whitecaps 3, Dayton Dragons 0 (Sun)(box)

Down 0-3 in the series entering Friday night’s contest against Dayton, the Whitecaps needed to turn things around, and they did so in style. Jaden Hamm was very good, and the offense showed off some power to win 8-1.

Hamm two-hit the Dragons over five innings of work with four walks allowed against six strikeouts. The Whitecaps gifted him a nice lead starting in the third inning.

With two outs in the bottom of the third, Jim Jarvis was hit by a pitch. Seth Stephenson and Max Anderson singled to score Jarvis, and then Luke Gold came up with a three-run shot to left to make it 4-0.

Hamm allowed a solo shot in the top of the fourth, but the Whitecaps offense had plenty more to offer. They scored two in the fourth and in the fifth, Luis Santana led off the inning by reaching on an error. Roberto Campos singled and both were balked ahead 90 feet. A Danny Serretti sac fly scored Santana, and a Dom Johnson triple to center field scored Campos.

Tanner Kohlhepp and Jack Anderson each spun two scoreless innings of relief to put this one away.

Gold: 1-4, R, 3 RBI, HR, 2 K

Stephenson: 2-5, R, RBI, K, SB

Johnson: 2-4, R, RBI, 3B, 2 K

Hamm (W, 2-1): 5.0 IP, ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 6 K

The Force was with the Whitecaps again on Star Wars night on Saturday. The offense took advantage of a lot of Dayton mistakes as they won 8-4.

Dylan Smith got the start in this one, and he held the Dragons scoreless through three innings. Things really unraveled in the fourth as he allowed two runs and was lifted for Cleiverth Perez, who also allowed a pair of runs.

Down 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth, the ‘Caps took advantage of some gifts. Stephenson and Gold were both hit by pitches, and Luis Santana walked to load the bases with two outs. A Campos ground ball was thrown away, scoring two runs. Danny Serretti singled in a run, and a wild pitch scored Campos before the Dragons could get out of the inning.

In the fifth, Jim Jarvis singled, and with one out Max Anderson doubled him home. Luke Gold singled in Anderson and took second on the play. A Luis Santana singled in Gold and it was 7-4. Dom Johnson doubled and scored on a Stephenson single in the sixth.

Yosber Sanchez and Matt Merrill each handled two innings of relief without issue.

Johnson: 2-4, R, 2B, K, SB

Gold: 1-3, 2 R, RBI, K

Santana: 1-3, R, RBI, BB

Smith: 3.1 IP, 2 ER, H, 3 BB, 0 K

On Sunday, the Whitecaps had a pretty good starter on the mound, as Jackson Jobe made his second rehab appearance. The right-hander appears ready to go as he torched the Dragons without much issue for three innings.

Jobe hit 99 mph on the gun and showed off some outstanding changeups to go with the filthy slider-curve combo as he spun three perfect innings with four strikeouts. He threw 24 of 32 pitches for strikes. Maybe he’ll get one more go in West Michigan, but he should be back in Erie before the month ends, and looking to resume his 35 straight hitters faced without a hit allowed, streak. This man needs to be in Toledo once he gets rolling with a few starts for the SeaWolves again.

The Whitecaps took full advantage of having the game’s top pitching prospect on the mound, if briefly. Colin Fields took the baton and shut out the Dragons for four innings with five strikeouts.

The Whitecaps didn’t get on the board until the fourth, when Seth Stephenson led off with a triple and scored on a Max Anderson sacrifice fly. In the fifth, Roberto Campos was hit by a pitch and Josh Crouch doubled him to third. A pair of wild pitches plated both runs to make it 3-0.

Marco Jimenez spun two lights out innings of relief with four punch outs to wrap this one up.

Stephenson: 2-4, R, 3B

Gold: 2-4

Jobe: 3.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 K

Fields (W, 2-3): 4.0 IP, 0 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps head out to Lansing to play the Lugnuts on the road this week.

Bradenton Marauders 8, Lakeland Flying Tigers 7 (Fri)(F/10)(box)

Lakeland Flying Tigers 9, Bradenton Marauders 3 (Sat)(box)

Bradenton Marauders 6, Lakeland Flying Tigers 3 (Sun)(box)

The Flying Tigers were up 2-1 in the series coming into Friday’s contest in Bradenton, but the Marauders took two of three over the weekend to split the series.

On Friday, it took 10 innings to decide the game after the Flying Tigers rallied from behind. Unfortunately, they couldn’t pull out the victory.

Gabriel Reyes got the start in this one, and he went three innings, allowing a pair of runs in the third before departing.

The Flying Tigers scored in the third when Kevin McGonigle doubled and scored on a Patrick Lee single. In the fourth, Samuel Gil, Jose De La Cruz, and David Smith started the inning with consecutive singles to load the bases. Archer Brookman lifted a sac fly to score Gil, and both runners then advanced on a balk. Abel Bastidas singled in De La Cruz and Smith, and it was 4-2 Lakeland.

In the fifth, Lee singled and Gil reached on an error, with Lee taking third on the play. A delayed double steal saw Gil steal second and Lee steal home to make it 5-2. Lee, an outfielder signed out of the Frontier League in late May, was promoted to West Michigan following this series.

Hayden Minton took over from Reyes and was solid until the sixth when he allowed the first two baserunners to reach. Bradenton scored one, and then a McGonigle error on a ball that would’ve ended the inning resulted in two more runs coming across to tie the game 5-5.

A wild pitch and a Bastidas error at third base saw Bradenton take a 7-5 lead in the seventh with Quinn Gudaitis on the mound.

Brookman doubled in Daneurys De La Cruz in the eighth. Down a run in the top of the ninth, McGonigle singled with one out, and Lee and Gil followed suit with singles, the last of which plated McGonigle to tie the game.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t score in the top of the 10th, and the Marauders pushed across a run to win in the bottom half.

McGonigle: 3-5, 2 R, 2B

Lee: 3-5, R, RBI, 2B, K, SB

Reyes: 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, 5 K

On Saturday, undrafted free agent Zack Lee was outstanding again, trimming his ERA to a clean 1.84 through 53 ²⁄₃ innings with a strikeout rate a hair shy of 30 percent. He went six scoreless innings in this one, allowing two hits and two walks, while striking out six.

Max Clark got things going after a day off on Friday. He tripled in the top of the first but was thrown out at home on a Patrick Lee ground ball. Lee then stole second base and scored on an Eduardo Valencia single.

McGonigle led off the third with an automatic double to left center field, and Clark singled him to third. A wild pitch scored McGonigle, and Clark scored on a Valencia single. 3-0 Lakeland.

In the fifth, Patrick Lee launched his second homer with Abel Bastidas and Clark aboard to make it 6-0.

Garrett Apker allowed three runs in the seventh, but Bradenton’s bullpen fumbled in two runs with a string of walks, a hit batter, a passed ball, and a balk. Valencia mashed a solo shot in the ninth to cap things.

Valencia: 3-5, R, 3 RBI, HR, K

Clark: 2-3, 2 R, 2 BB

Lee, Z. (W, 3-1): 6.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K

Lefty Andrew Sears was excellent yet again in this one, but the offense couldn’t get much going on a day off for Kevin McGonigle. The Flying Tigers played a bit of a sloppy game as the bullpen melted down to lose on Sunday.

Lakeland opened the scoring in the second when Archer Brookman and David Smith walked with two outs. Daneurys De La Cruz singled in Brookman to make it 1-0.

For a while, that was all they needed as Sears tossed four no-hit innings with eight strikeouts. He did walk four, but the Marauders couldn’t do much with him.

Rain delayed things a while in the fifth. When play resumed, Cristian Santana, just back over from a stint trying to sort out of his swing in the FCL, popped out, but Max Clark walked, stole second base, and scored on an Eduardo Valencia double. Valencia continues to swing a really, really hot bat out of the catcher’s spot.

Carlos Lequerica then allowed five runs in the sixth inning as Bradenton stormed back. A Jose De La Cruz helped their cause, and only two runs were earned, but Lequerica didn’t have much to complain about. Thomas Bruss took over and cleaned up the inning, but then allowed a run in the seventh.

Danuerys De La Cruz hit his first homer of the year for Lakeland to lead off the ninth, but that was all they’d get.

De La Cruz: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR

Valencia: 1-4, RBI, 2B, K

Sears: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 4 BB, 8 K

Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers will close out the month of June by hosting the Dunedin Blue Jays this week starting Tuesday night.