Matt Manning knocked around again in Mud Hens loss

Omaha Storm Chasers 9, Toledo Mud Hens 7 (box)

Matt Manning struggled again and the bullpen did even worse on Tuesday. The Hens lineup fought back with a big push in the late innings but ultimately fell short.

Manning gave up three solo shots in this one and couldn’t get through the fifth inning. Meanwhile, his teammates were blanked for six innings. Andrew Magno took over and cleaned up the fifth, but then gave up a pair of runs in the sixth. PJ Poulin was even worse, surrendering three runs in the seventh inning. At that point it was 8-1 Omaha after Bligh Madris lifted a solo shot to right field in the top of the seventh.

In the eighth, the offense finally got a little help from the Storm Chasers bullpen and took advantage. Spencer Torkelson led off with a walk and took second base on defensive indifference. Jace Jung, in his first game back with the Mud Hens, followed with a walk. Torkelson took third on a wild pitch while Jung stayed put, and Dillon Dingler singled in Torkelson. A Justice Bigbie grounder forced Dingler at second base, but Madris walked to load the bases.

That sent Omaha back to the pen with Jesus Tinoco replacing Noah Murdock. Tinoco immediately uncorked a wild pitch to score Jung. Ryan Kreidler struck out, but Riley Unroe lined a two-run single into center field. 8-5 Omaha.

Andrew Navigato reached on a soft pop-up that dropped in right field and Ryan Vilade singled in Unroe. Torkelson came up to bat again and lined a single to left to score Navigato before Jung lined out to end the inning. So it was 8-7 Omaha, but that was as close as the Hens would get.

Austin Schulfer, another recent minor league free agent addition, allowed a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth, and the Hens came up short in the ninth.

Madris: 1-3, 2 R, RBI, HR, 2 BB

Torkelson: 1-4, R, RBI, BB, K

Dingler: 2-5, RBI

Manning (L, 2-4): 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 4 K

Erie SeaWolves 5, Somerset Patriots 4 (box)

Garrett Burhenn put together a good start on Tuesday, and the SeaWolves piled up hits and stolen bases along the way to take this one after the Patriots had rallied back from an early deficit.

Burhenn allowed two runs in five innings of work, with five strikeouts to one walk. He was staked to a three run lead in the bottom of the first inning, and managed to hold the lead despite leaking a pair of runs along the way.

With two outs in the bottom of the first, Jake Holton singled and stole second base. Chris Meyers singled him home and took second on a Trei Cruz single. Eliezer Alfonzo got hit by a pitch, and so the bases were loaded for Mendoza. The master of grit sliced a line drive single to left and Meyers and Cruz scored to make it 3-0.

The SeaWolves led 3-2 going into the sixth, but Jake Higginbotham allowed a solo shot, and in the seventh Angel Reyes gave up another run as Somerset took the lead.

However, in the bottom half of the seventh, Mendoza led off with a single and Ben Malgeri walked. A Gage Workman grounder forced Malgeri at second, but Workman stole second base and they had the right man at the plate next in the sturdy form of Hao-Yu Lee. Lee paddled a grounder right back through the box and both runners scored to make it 5-4.

Veteran reliever Matt Seelinger, recently signed to a minor league deal, collected the final four outs, three by strikeout, to lock this one down and earn his first save for the SeaWolves.

Lee: 2-4, 2 RBI, SB

Mendoza: 3-4, R, 2 RBI

Burhenn: 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 5 K

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 4, West Michigan Whitecaps 0 (box)

Jaden Hamm actually got knocked around in this one, while the offense was pretty lifeless as the lost the first of six in Wisconsin on Tuesday night.

Hamm gave up a run in the third, but otherwise looked in charge as usual. Instead, a parade of hits greeted him in the fifth as the Rattlers scored three more against him.

Luis Santana had three of the ‘Caps five hits, but there wasn’t much to say for the rest of the lineup.

Santana: 3-4

Hamm (L, 3-3): 4.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 K

St. Lucie Mets 5, Lakeland Flying Tigers 1 (box)

This first of six in St. Lucie went to the Mets as Rayner Castillo was knocked around a bit and the Flying Tigers offense couldn’t get much going in this one.

Castillo has been excellent this season and the most exciting young pitching prospect in the system, but he didn’t have his control in this one. He issued four walks and a hit batsman against six punch outs, allowing two runs in the first and two more in the third.

Max Clark doubled with one out in the top of the first but was stranded. That was his sole knock on the night. A Jose De La Cruz walk and a one out single from John Peck gave them another scoring opportunity early on but a pair of strikeouts ended the threat. A leadoff single from Kevin McGonigle in the third could have sparked something, but did not.

Jose De La Cruz led off the fourth with a walk as well, and eventually scored on a Clayton Campbell single, but that was all they could manage. Garrett Apker gave up a run in the seventh, and the Flying Tigers never really threatened again.

Clark: 1-4, 2B, K

Campbell: 1-2, RBI, BB, K

Castillo (L, 2-1): 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 4 BB, 6 K, HBP

Here’s an open faced look at the Tigers three best young position prospects’ swings.