Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle lead Lakeland over the Mets

Omaha Storm Chasers 10, Toledo Mud Hens 9 (box)

Again a rough start put the Hens in a deep hole against the Storm Chasers on Wednesday. They did a good job rallying late to make it close, but couldn’t quite close the deficit Ty Madden and the bullpen created.

Madden, like Matt Manning on Tuesday night, gave up three home runs in this one. Only one of those came from a left-handed hitter, so it was a particularly rough night for Madden. He was rocked for three in the second inning and three more in the fourth before coming out of the game.

The Hens actually struck first in this one. Bligh Madris hit a solo shot to right center field in the second inning, before Madden surrendered three in the bottom half.

In the third, the Hens seized their only lead of the game. With two outs, Ryan Vilade singled and Jace Jung walked. Spencer Torkelson got a 93 mph heater on the inner half and he ripped a three-run homer to right center field. 4-3 Hens.

It was all Omaha from there for a while, as they got to Madden for three more and then rocked right-hander Eli Villalobos for three runs, two earned, in the fifth. They added one more in the sixth and it was 10-4 Omaha.

In the seventh, Drew Maggi led off with a single and Stephen Scott drew a walk. An Andrew Navigato ground out advanced them both 90 feet, and Ryan Vilade singled them both in to make it 10-6.

Miguel Diaz came out of the pen to finally quiet the Storm Chasers’ bats in the seventh and eighth, and in the ninth the Hens made a pretty good bid at a comeback victory.

Vilade led off with a double and took third on a passed ball. Jung walked again, and a sac fly from Torkelson that was pulled back from going over the wall by center fielder Drew Waters, plated Vilade. The left-handed Madris then dug in and unleashed an absolute nuke 433 feet to right field for a two-run shot. The 107.5 mph blast was his 14th home run on the year. That made it 10-9, but Ryan Kreidler and Anthony Bemboom struck out to end it.

Madris: 3-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR, K

Vilade: 3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, K

Torkelson: 1-3, R, 4 RBI, HR, BB, K

Madden (L, 1-4): 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 5 K, 3 HR

Somerset Patriots 9, Erie SeaWolves 3 (box)

Carlos Pena had a rough outing and the SeaWolves couldn’t string much together at the plate in this one.

The left-handed Pena spun a pair of solid innings and then ran into a buzzsaw the second time through the order. He was rocked for five runs in the third inning, and Bryce Tassin took over and cleaned up the rest of the inning, but then allowed a run in the fifth.

Ben Malgeri tripled home Jake Holton after the latter led off the fourth inning with a single to get Erie on the board. However, they never threatened Somerset in this one. Garrett Hill gave up three more runs in the eighth, and so Holton’s two-run shot in the bottom half of the inning meant little other than that Holton continues to produce in the heart of their lineup.

Holton: 2-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, BB, K

Workman: 1-3, R, 2B, BB, K

Pena (L, 4-4): 2.1 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, K

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 7, West Michigan Whitecaps 0 (box)

All around the system, it’s been a rough go starting the final series before the break this week. The Whitecaps are no exception.

Joe Adametz was knocked around pretty badly in the third inning of this one, giving up all five runs he allowed in a third inning he couldn’t close out. Cleiverth Perez gave up two more in the seventh, but as the Whitecaps managed just a Seth Stephenson single and three walks in the game, it didn’t matter much.

Stephenson: 1-3, BB, CS

Adametz (L, 0-2): 2.2 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K

Lakeland Flying Tigers 10, St. Lucie Mets 2 (box)

The Flying Tigers backed Duque Hebbert with plenty of runs support to even this series in St. Lucie on Wednesday.

Hebbert scattered six hits and a walk over four innings of one-run ball, striking out three. The offense struck first in the top of the fourth. David Smith and Kevin McGonigle started the inning with singles, and Max Clark ripped a line drive to right field for a double that scored Smith. Jose De La Cruz then hammered a three-run shot to center field, and it was 4-0 Lakeland.

Hebbert allowed his run in the fourth, but in the fifth, McGonigle led off with a double. An hour and 11 minute rain delay then interrupted the proceedings When action resumed, McGonigle didn’t let the Mets settle back into the game. Instead, he stole third base and the Mets catcher threw it away. McGonigle scored and it was 5-1.

In the sixth, Samuel Gil led off with a single, but was caught trying to steal second. Clayton Campbell and Daneurys De La Cruz each drew walks, and a bloop hit from McGonigle scored Campbell. McGonigle continued to wreak havoc on the field with heads up play. He stole second base, drawing another errant throw, and De La Cruz jogged home from third. McGonigle took third on the play, and then Max Clark walked and stole second base. A single from Jose De La Cruz scored them both, and it was 9-1 Lakeland.

Jake Miller took over from Hebbert for four innings, and he was good as usual, allowing a run in the eighth inning but only two hits and no walks in his outing while striking out five. The Flying Tigers got that run back when Clark doubled home McGonigle in the eighth, but the game was obviously well in hand already.

Clark: 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B, 2 BB, K

McGonigle: 3-4, 4 R, RBI, 2B, BB

Jose De La Cruz: 2-4, R, 5 RBI, HR, K

Miller (W, 7-1): 4.0 IP, ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 5 K