Omaha Storm Chasers 4, Toledo Mud Hens 0 (box)
This series is not going well so far. After Matt Manning and Ty Madden got blown up in their starts, lefty Lael Lockhart Jr. gave them a fine outing on Thursday, but the bats were quiet and they lost their third straight to these scrappy meteorological enthusiasts.
Lockhart one-hit the Storm Chasers over five innings, shutting them out without a walk while striking out five. The Hens threatened in the second inning with three straight singles from Dillon Dingler, Justice Bigbie, and Ryan Kreidler, but a strikeout and a double play ball squandered the opportunity. They wouldn’t get another one that good.
Lefty Easton Lucas took over in the sixth from Lockhart, and he spun a pair of scoreless innings. In the eighth the Hens got singles from Stephen Scott and Andrew Navigato with one out, but Spencer Torkelson popped out. Bligh Madris reached on catcher’s interference to load the bases, but Dingler lifted a shallow fly ball to center for the final out of the inning.
Finally in the eighth, the Storm Chasers broke the deadlock against Sean Guenther. A walk and a throwing error from Guenther started things off. He bounced back to strike out the next two hitters, but a two-run single and a two-run homer followed. The Hens couldn’t answer back in the ninth.
Dingler: 2-4, K
Lockhart: 5.0 IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 5 K
Erie SeaWolves 6, Somerset Patriots 0 (box)
The SeaWolves are having better fortune, shutting out Somerset on Thursday to take a 2-1 series lead. Helps to have Jackson Jobe on the mound, but the bats were strong as well, with everyone in the lineup collecting a hit.
The Tigers prized pitching prospect was in control, shutting out the Patriots over five innings. Jobe allowed two hits, though he walked three, striking out eight hitters on the day. He also erased the lone single he allowed with a pickoff at first. Promote this man.
The offense got it going in the third inning when Brady Allen led off with a double. With two outs, Gage Workman singled him home for an early 1-0 lead. Trei Cruz doubled in Chris Meyers in the fourth to make it 2-0.
RJ Petit took over from Jobe and spun two perfect frames with three strikeouts. And in the bottom of the sixth the SeaWolves offense put this one away with a three-run inning.
Eliezer Alfonzo led off with a single and Trei Cruz walked. A balks moved them up 90 feet and Ben Malgeri doubled to right to score them both. Two outs followed, but Malgeri wasn’t stranded as Hao-Yu Lee tripled to the wall in center field. 5-0 Erie.
Jake Holton added a solo shot in the seventh, while Tim Naughton closed out the last two frames in perfect fashion.
Alfonzo: 2-3, R, 2B, K
Workman: 1-3, RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 SB
Jobe (W, 1-1): 5.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 8 K
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 3, West Michigan Whitecaps 2 (F/10)(box)
The Whitecaps lost their third straight to the Rattlers in frustrating fashion on Thursday, losing in 10 innings despite ample opportunities to seize control of the game.
On a bullpen day, Austin Bergner made a short start of two perfect innings, and Jack Anderson went 2 2⁄3 innings of scoreless ball into the fifth.
Jim Jarvis hit his third homer for the ‘Caps with a solo shot in the second inning to give him an early lead. However the team would only manage five hits in this one total.
Tanner Kohlhepp took over from Anderson and allowed a run in the sixth, and the 1-1 tie lasted into extra innings. In the 10th, Dom Johnson started at second and moved to third on a Jarvis ground out. A wild pitch scored him, but that was all they’d get. Yosber Sanchez allowed a pair of run in the bottom half as Wisconsin walked them off.
Jarvis: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, BB
Serretti: 1-2, 2 BB, K
Kohlhepp (BS, 6): 1.1 IP, ER, H, 2 BB, 3 K
St. Lucie Mets 8, Lakeland Flying Tigers 3 (box)
The Mets took a 2-1 lead in this series with a convincing win on Thursday. Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle were quiet in this one, and the pitching staff had a rough go.
Gabriel Reyes got the start and was knocked around for four runs in 2 2⁄3 innings of work. Two were unearned, with a Samuel Gil error contributing to a three-run third inning for the Mets.
The Flying Tigers finally got the offense going in the sixth. Jose De La Cruz, Brett Callahan, Eduardo Valencia, Samuel Gil, and Daneurys De La Cruz all singled in succession to plate three runs and make it a 4-3 Mets lead.
Unfortunately Cole Patten allowed a run in the bottom of the sixth, and Eiker Huizi three more in the eighth as the Mets pulled away.
Callahan: 2-4, R
Gil: 2-4, 2 RBI
Reyes (L, 0-1): 2.1 IP, 4 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, K