Heroics from Gage Workman and Patrick Lee power the SeaWolves

Toledo Mud Hens 2, Worcester Red Sox 1 (Fri)(box)

Toledo Mud Hens 6, Worcester Red Sox 0 (Sat)(box)

Worcester Red Sox 11, Toledo Mud Hens 6 (Sun)(box)

After dropping the first two games of this set, the Hens rallied back to win on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. However, the Red Sox stormed back from behind on Sunday to split the series.

On Friday, Bryan Sammons led the way, tossing four innings of one run ball. Jack Anderson took over from there and blanked the Sox for 2 ²⁄₃ innings to set the Hens up for success.

They struck first, with Justice Bigbie singled in Eddys Leonard in the top of the second inning. In the fifth, Ryan Vilade doubled and scored on an Akil Baddoo double to right field to make it 2-0. Sammons allowed a run in the bottom half of the fifth, but as noted, Anderson shut things down from there. Chase Lee finished off the seventh for Anderson, and Andrew Vasquez pitched around a pair of walks for close out the final two frames and earn the save.

Scott: 3-4

Bigbie: 1-2, RBI, 2B, 2 BB

Sammons: 4.0 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 6 K

On Saturday, the Hens went with a bullpen game and did very well. Akil Baddoo singled with one out in the top of the first, and Andrew Navigato smoked his 20th home run of the year. Bligh Madris followed with a solo shot of his own, and it was 3-0 Hens. They wouldn’t need any more.

Mason Englert gave the Hens two scoreless to start the game. PJ Poulin and Garrett Hill each tossed a pair of scoreless innings in relief.

Oscar Mercado, claimed last week off waivers, singled in Anthony Bemboom in the fourth to make it 4-0. They’d add two runs in the eighth, and Devin Sweet and Miguel Diaz closed this one out.

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

Bemboom: 2-3, R, RBI

Englert: 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K

The game on Sunday saw Tony Watson give up three runs in four innings of work. The Hens put together a big inning in the fourth to take the lead, but the bullpen couldn’t hold it.

It was 2-0 Worcester when Riley Unroe led off the fourth with a double. Navigato struck out, but Madris doubled in Unroe. Eddys Leonard then doubled to left to score Madris. Bigbie singled in Leonard, and Drew Maggi launched a two-run shot to make it 5-2 Hens.

Watson allowed a run in the bottom of the fourth before departing the game. The bats went a little quiet, and in the eighth Andrew Magno was rocked for four runs. He came back out in the eighth and gave up another, with Devin Sweet taking over and also struggling as the Red Sox dropped three more runs on him to take an 11-5 lead.

Stephen Scott doubled in the ninth, scoring on a Mercado single to reach the final score.

Scott: 2-4, R, 2B

Bigbie: 2-4, R, RBI

Watson: 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: The Hens will welcome in the Indianapolis Indians for six this week, with three series left in their season which ends on September 22nd.

Erie SeaWolves 5, Richmond Flying Squirrels 4 (Fri)(box)

Richmond Flying Squirrels 10, Erie SeaWolves 6 (Sat)(box)

Erie SeaWolves 6, Richmond Flying Squirrels 5 (Sun)(box)

With Hao-Yu Lee and Jake Holton out for the year with injuries, and the pitching staff depleted by a shoulder injury to Troy Melton, the SeaWolves need a hero as the playoffs loom. Gage Workman has stepped up and again was a big factor in this six-game set as the SeaWolves won on Sunday to take the set four games to two.

On Friday night, Workman was the hero as he launched a walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth.

Jackson Jobe got the start, but a long second inning saw him reach the 30 pitch threshold and he was pulled after just 1 ¹⁄₂ innings of scoreless ball with three strikeouts. Michael Beinlien took over and was knocked around for three runs in the third.

Chris Meyers led off the fourth with a double and Liam Hicks drew a walk. Ben Malgeri’s grounder forced Hicks at second base. Eliezer Alfonzo singled in Meyers and Luis Santana was hit by a pitch to load the bases but Brady Allen struck out to end the threat.

In the fifth the SeaWolves pulled ahead with a three run rally with two outs. Meyers walked, Hicks singled, and Malgeri doubled them both in. Alfonzo singled in Malgeri, and it was 4-3 SeaWolves.

Angel Reyes allowed an unearned run in the eighth, but in the bottom of the ninth, with one out, Workman stepped to the dish and hammered a 1-0 pitch deep to straightaway center field for his 15th home run with the Seawolves and a walkoff winner.

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

Meyers: 3-3, 2 R, 2B, BB

Alfonzo: 2-4, 2 RBI

Seelinger (W, 1-1): 2.0 IP, 0 R, H, 2 K

Wilkel Hernandez got clobbered in a six-run second inning for the Flying Squirrels, and a late push by the SeaWolves fell well short on Saturday.

Jake Higginbotham allowed a run in relief but managed to settle the Squirrels down a bit. Unfortunately, Eric Silva then allowed three runs, two earned, in the fifth. The Squirrels had a 10-0 lead at that point.

In the bottom of the fourth, Austin Murr was hit by a pitch to open the inning. Liam Hicks singled with one out, but Alfonzo flew out. Ben Malgeri singled in Murr, but that was all they’d get.

The SeaWolves pushed across two in the seventh. Murr led off the eighth with a triple and Workman singled him home. A Malgeri single later in the inning scored Workman to make it 10-5 Richmond. Patrick Lee walked, stole second, and scored on a Carlos Mendoza single in the ninth.

Patrick Lee: 1-2, R, 2 BB, K, SB

Murr: 1-4, 2 R, 3B, K

Malgeri: 2-4, 2 RBI

Hernandez (L, 4-7): 1.2 IP, 6 R, 5 ER, 5 H, BB, 2 K

Carlos Pena had a good day on the mound, but the SeaWolves still had to come up with another walkoff victory to take the series on Sunday. Patrick Lee put together a big game and continues to look like an intriguing outfield prospect. Signed out on independent ball this spring, the outfielder has speed and serious power, though there’s still a lot of swing and miss present.

Gage Workman stayed hot, opening the scoring with a solo shot in the bottom of the first. Workman is still striking out too much to think of him as a future starting player for the Tigers, but his run over the past two months definitely has his alternate profile as a utilityman back in play.

Pena blanked the Squirrels for five innings, but in the sixth, Tim Naughton was knocked around for four runs when Victor Bericoto launched a grand slam against him.

However, in the bottom of the sixth, the SeaWolves loaded the bases and got big hits from Patrick Lee and Carlos Mendoza as they answered back with four runs of their own to take a 5-4 lead.

Tyler Owens allowed the Squirrels to tie the game in the eighth, and again we came down to the bottom of the ninth. Patrick Lee led off with a rocket to center field for a double, and Austin Murr singled him home to walk off the Squirrels again.

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

Pena: 5.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves travel to Reading this week, and will finish at home against Bowie next week before the postseason gets underway.

West Michigan Whitecaps 7, Dayton Dragons 2 (Fri)(box)

Dayton Dragons 8, West Michigan Whitecaps 2 (Sat)(box)

Dayton Dragons 7, West Michigan Whitecaps 2 (Sun)(box)

The Whitecaps had a chance at a series victory after taking three of the first four in this set. However, the Dragons fought back to win on Saturday and Sunday to split the series.

On Friday, the Whitecaps pounded out 10 hits and drew five walks to win easily over the Dragons.

Colin Fields got the start, and while he allowed a run in the second inning, he otherwise had the Dragons locked down. The Whitecaps seized the lead in the third and then ran away with this one.

Jim Jarvis opened the top of the third with a single and Bennett Lee walked. Max Anderson went the other way for a double and an error on Dayton allowed both Jarvis and Lee to score. Thayron Liranzo followed suit with a sharp double to right field to plate Anderson, and after a wild pitch moved Liranzo to third, Roberto Campos singled him home for a 4-1 lead.

In the fourth, Luke Gold was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Bennett Lee drew a one out walk. Seth Stephenson singled in Gold, and Anderson doubled again, scoring Lee for a 6-1 lead.

In the seventh, Roberto Campos led off with a double, took third on an Izaac Pacheco infield single, and scored on a Luke Gold sacrifice fly. 7-1 Whitecaps. Wilmer Flores allowed a run in the bottom half of the inning, but Yosber Sanchez was excellent again, spinning a pair of innings with three strikeouts to end it.

Anderson: 2-5, R, 2 RBI, 2 2B, K

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

Liranzo: 1-4, R, RBI, 2B, BB, 2 K

Fields: 4.0 IP, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 3 K

Saturday’s contest was a back and forth affair, but Dayton pulled out a walkoff victory in the ninth.

Max Anderson walked with one out in the first. Liranzo singled him to second, and Luke Gold walked to load the bases. Izaac Pacheco pulled a ground ball to first and a Dragons error allowed everyone to reach as Anderson scored. That was all they’d get, but in the second, Dom Johnson was hit by a pitch, stole second with one out, and then scored on a Max Anderson single.

So it was 2-0 Whitecaps, but starter Joe Miller ran into big trouble in the fourth, giving up four runs. The Whitecaps came right back in the fifth. They loaded the bases with one out, and Jim Jarvis doubled cleared them. Dom Johnson followed with a single, and then Max Clark doubled in Jarvis. Johnson scored on a ground out and it was 7-4 Whitecaps.

Unfortunately, it was all Dayton from there. Jake Miller allowed three runs, two earned in the seventh and eighth. CJ Wein took over a 7-7 tie in the bottom of the ninth and hit the leadoff man, who promptly stole second and took third on an errant throw from Liranzo. A single ended it.

Anderson: 3-4, R, 2 RBI, BB

Liranzo: 2-5, K

Miller: 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 2 K

On Sunday, Carlos Marcano had a rough outing, and the ‘Caps just couldn’t get much going offensively.

Marcano allowed four runs in a long second inning that ended his outing for pitch count reasons. Tanner Kohlhepp cleaned this up in the second and third, but Max Alba allowed two more runs in the fourth.

The Whitecaps didn’t score until the sixth, when Max Anderson doubled with one out and later scored on a Pacheco sacrifice fly. Anderson then smacked his 11th homer of the year in the top of the eighth. It was 6-2 Dayton at that point, and then added a run in the bottom of the eighth to pull away a bit more.

Anderson: 3-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B, HR

Jarvis: 1-2, 2 BB

Marcano (L, 3-11): 1.2 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, K

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps wrap up their regular season with six at home against the Lansing Lugnuts. Both Thayron Liranzo and Max Clark have cooled off over the past week, so look for them to push through and finish the season on a high note.

Dunedin Blue Jays 6, Lakeland Flying Tigers 4 (Fri)(box)

Lakeland Flying Tigers 6, Dunedin Blue Jays 1 (Gm1)(Sat)(box)

Lakeland Flying Tigers 10, Dunedin Blue Jays 7 (Gm2)(Sat)(box)

Dunedin Blue Jays 4, Lakeland Flying Tigers 3 (Sun)(box)

These two clubs were schedule for a double header on Wednesday that didn’t get played until Saturday as rain made for a week of delays. The Flying Tigers took the first three and then after losing Friday, swept the doubleheader on Saturday. They lost on Sunday but took the seven game series, which included a makeup game from back in July, five games to two.

On Friday, Andrew Sears has a rare shaky outing, giving up three early runs with a Corey Joyce error at second base contributing. Recent undrafted free agent signing Garrett Pennington evened things up in the top of the sixth with a three-run shot for his first professional knock, and it was 3-3.

However, Luke Stofel allowed two runs in the bottom half and the Blue Jays held on to win. David Smith homered in the top of the ninth with no one aboard for the Flying Tigers fourth run, but that was as close as they’d get.

Pennington: 2-4, R, 3 RBI, HR

Jose De La Cruz: 3-4, 2B

Sears: 4.0 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K

In Game 1 on Saturday, the Flying Tigers won easily in a seven inning matchup.

Cole Patten got the start, and went four innings, allowing just a third inning solo shot and striking out five Blue Jays. The Flying Tigers still led when he left the mound, as Samuel Gil launched a two-run shot in the second for his first homer with the Flying Tigers.

In the top of the fourth, Gil and Peyton Graham singled with one out and David Smith walked to load the bases. Franyerber Montilla grounded into a force of Smith at second, but Gil scored. Montilla stole second but he didn’t need to, as a suddenly hot Nomar Fana smoked a three-run shot to straightaway center field. 6-1 Lakeland, and that’s where it ended.

Fana: 2-4, R, 3 RBI, HR

Gil: 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, K

Briceno: 1-3, 2B, BB

Patten: 4.0 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K

Hayden Minton returned to the mound after a minor injury, but struggled in Game 2 on Saturday. He gave up five runs in just 3 ²⁄₃ innings, but the offense had more than enough to make up for it.

Minton allowed a run in the top of the first, but in the bottom half, Zach MacDonald, another recent undrafted free agent signing who can handle center field, led off with a walk and Pennington followed with one of his own. Jose De La Cruz stepped to the dish and hammered a 110 mph three-run shot to left center field.

With two outs, Eduardo Valencia singled and took second on a passed ball. Jackson Strong doubled him home and Woody Hadeen and David Smith walked to load the bases. MacDonald cleared them with a triple to left at 102 mph off the bat for his first professional hit, and it was 7-1 Lakeland.

Minton allowed two in the top of the second, but Pennington smoked a screaming drive over the center field wall to open the bottom of the second. Strong later singled in De La Cruz in the inning and it was 9-3.

Minton allowed two more runs before departing, and Cam Brown allowed two in relief, but this was out of reach for the Blue Jays. Lefty Micah Ashman continued his strong pro debut with 1 ¹⁄₃ innings of scoreless relief and two strikeouts.

Jose De La Cruz launched another home run in the bottom of the sixth with no one aboard. That one was a towering shot to right field. De La Cruz has been disappointing and he still hasn’t escaped Low-A at age 22, but boy the guy can crack the baseball.

De La Cruz: 2-2, 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR, 2 BB

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

Minton: 3.2 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 6 K

On Sunday, Rayner Castillo had a mediocre outing by his standards, and the offense couldn’t quite pick him up. That isn’t going to stop him from making a pretty strong debut on our end of the year prospect list.

The Flying Tigers struck first, when Zach MacDonald singled with one out. He moved to second on a Garrett Pennington ground out, and Jose De La Cruz singled him home.

Castillo allowed a run in the bottom half, and then two more, including an Arjun Nimmala home run in the third.

De La Cruz was hit by a pitch to open the sixth. A Jack Penney singled got him to third where he scored on an Archer Brookman sacrifice fly. In the eighth, De La Cruz led off with a single and stole second base, scoring on a Brookman double that tied the game.

Unfortunately, Ronny Chalas allowed a go-ahead run to the Blue Jays in the bottom of the eighth, and the Flying Tigers couldn’t answer.

De La Cruz: 2-2, 2 R, RBI, BB, SB

Brookman: 1-2, 2 RBI, 2B, BB

Castillo: 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers will welcome in the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels for six this week as their regular season concludes.