Max Clark and the Whitecaps slay Dragons

Worcester Red Sox 12, Toledo Mud Hens 2 (box)

It was a tough night for the Hens.

Troy Watson was rocked for six runs, and the Hens offense didn’t offer much in the way of support. Angel Reyes gave up two runs in relief, and it was 8-0 Red Sox after four frames.

Finally in the sixth, Anthony Bemboom led off with a single. Riley Unroe singled him to third, but was thrown out trying to take second on the play. Ryan Vilade struck out, but Justyn-Henry Malloy cracked a two-run shot to right center field to make it 8-2. That was as good as it got, as Garrett Hill surrendered three more runs late as the Red Sox cruised.

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

Bigbie: 2-4, 2B, K, CS

Watson (L, 3-6): 3.1 IP, 6 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 3 K

Erie SeaWolves 4, Richmond Flying Squirrels 1 (box)

The Flying Squirrels never seem to have a good time against Erie, and Game 1 of this set was no different. Carlos Pena blanked them for six innings, and the bullpen was almost as good.

Austin Murr opened the scoring with a solo shot in the bottom of the first. Ben Malgeri added a home run in the fifth. In the sixth, Murr led off with a walk and Gage Workman reached on catcher interference. Liam Hicks walked to load the bases with one out and an Eliezer Alfonzo ground ball was misplayed as Murr scored to make it 3-0. Malgeri walked to force in another run before the Squirrels could get out of the inning.

Pena allowed just a single and a walk over six innings, striking out six. Matt Seelinger allowed a run in the ninth and dug himself into a pretty big hole, but he struck out three in the inning and escaped with a 4-1 victory for the SeaWolves.

Murr: 1-3, 2 R, RBI, HR, BB, 2 K

Malgeri: 1-2, R, 2 RBI, HR, 2 BB, K

Pena (W, 7-6): 6.0 IP, 0 R, H, BB, 6 K

The Tigers finally announced that Hao-Yu Lee had moved to the injured list with a lower back issue. Trei Cruz tore his UCL in his throwing arm last week and has undergone UCL reconstruction.

Here’s the complete injury report

West Michigan Whitecaps 11, Dayton Dragons 2 (box)

Max Clark led the way as the Whitecaps went to town on Dragons pitching to win easily on Tuesday.

Joe Adametz got the start, and he was good as well, spinning five innings of one run ball without a walk. He surrendered that run in the bottom of the second inning, and so briefly Dayton had the lead in this one, but it didn’t last long.

In the third, John Peck led off with a double and Josh Crouch singled him to third. A wild pitch brought Peck home and got Crouch to second. Seth Stephenson singled to left and took second as the Dragons didn’t get the ball in to second base in time. Max Clark spanked a grounder back through the box to plate Crouch. Max Anderson lifted a sacrifice fly to score Stephenson, and it was 3-0. Thayron Liranzo followed with a single, but the rally ended there.

The game quieted down as the ‘Caps bullpen took over. Wilmer Flores moved up in his rehab progression and he spun a scoreless inning with a walk and two strikeouts. Yosber Sanchez was even better, punching out three in two scoreless innings.

The Whitecaps finally broke it wide open in the eighth. Luke Gold led off with a single and Peck singled with one out. Josh Crouch grounded out, but Stephenson walked to load the bases, and Clark cleared then with a triple to the wall in center field. Anderson followed with a walk, and Liranzo singled in Clark. Roberto Campos added the finishing touch on a five run inning with a double to left field. 8-1 Whitecaps.

The top of the ninth started with three straight singles, and then Stephenson drew a walk to force in a run. Clark again had the bases loaded ahead of him, and again he delivered, lining a single to right center field. Liranzo drew a bases loaded walk and it was 11-1.

Erick Pinales allowed a run in the bottom of the ninth.

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

Peck: 3-4, 3 R, 2B, BB, K, SB

Liranzo: 2-5, 2 RBI, BB

Adametz (W, 4-2): 5.0 IP, ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 4 K

Lakeland Flying Tigers 8, Dunedin Blue Jays 3 (box)

Gabriel Reyes was on fire in this one, carving up 11 Blue Jays and allowing just a walk and two hits, one of them a solo shot by Arjun Nimmala in the bottom of the first inning. The lefty only averages 93 mph with his fourseam fastball, but it’s got good life, and his slider is lethal. He had command of both and the Jays had few answers for him.

Lakeland took an early lead when Corey Joyce walked with one out in the first inning and Jose De La Cruz launched his 13th home run of the season. Nimmala answered against Reyes in the bottom half, and so it was 2-1 Lakeland until the fifth.

David Smith led off that inning by drawing a walk and then took second on a wild pitch. Jack Penney drew a walk as well, and Smith stole third in the process. Josue Briceño dropped a single into center field to make it 3-1 Flying Tigers, and then in the sixth they blew the game open.

Jackson Strong opened the sixth with a double. Franyerber Montilla continues to struggle at the plate and struck out, but Archer Brookman singled Strong to third. Smith grounded to third and they were able to cut down Strong at home plate, but a wild pitch moved Brookman and Smith up 90 feet. Penney, Joyce, Briceño, and De La Cruz were all walked in a row to force in three runs. The Jays finally went to the pen and Jenkins greeted the new reliever with a two-run single to make it 8-1 Lakeland.

Reyes stellar outing ended after six innings and 70 pitches thrown, 51 for strikes. Thomas Bruss walked a pair of hitters in the seventh and was charged for two runs. Garrett Apker took over to wrap up the inning and then closed out the final two frames.

Briceño: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K

Strong: 1-4, 2B, BB, K

De La Cruz: 1-4, R, 3 RBI, HR, BB, 3 K

Reyes (W, 3-2): 6.0 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 11 K