Toledo Mud Hens 14, Columbus Clippers 10 (box)
The Hens got into a slugfest with the Clippers on Wednesday and came out on top. Yariel Gonzalez got things started with a two-run homer in the first inning. Hens’ starter Drew Hutchison wild pitched Oscar Mercado home from third in the bottom of the inning, and both teams put up zeroes the next two innings. The ball started flying again in the fourth, however, as Renato Nuñez launched a two-run shot, and then Kody Clemens mashed his first homer of the year, a solo shot, deep to left center field. However, Hutchison then melted down in the bottom of the inning as the Clippers dropped four runs on him to tie things at five apiece. Hutchison was replaced by Locke St. John.
As it happens the Hens were just getting warmed up at this point. Dustin Garneau homered to lead off the top of the fifth. JaCoby Jones reached on an error and scored on Jacob Robson’s double. Robson would later score on a error by the Clippers, while Clemens came up with an RBI double as the Hens plated five runs in the inning. The got two more in the sixth on Robson’s second homer of the year, a two-run shot. The Clippers fought back with three in the seventh against Nolan Blackwood, but the Hens got two more in the top of the ninth on RBI hits from Clemens and Christin Stewart. Angel de Jesus allowed a pair of solo shots in the bottom of the ninth, but the outcome was never in doubt.
The Hens racked up 14 hits, five of them home runs, on the night.
Coming Up Next: The Hens will face Cleveland righthander Triston McKenzie on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Altoona Curve 4, Erie SeaWolves 2 (box)
The kids had a pretty good night at the plate, but a three-run seventh inning against reliever Max Green sank the SeaWolves on Wednesday. Paul Richan got the start, and he was very good, spinning six innings of one-run ball on seven hits, striking out six, without a walk. Spencer Torkelson singled home Ryan Kreidler in the first, and reached on a fielder’s choice in the sixth, scoring Riley Greene in the process.
Torkelson: 2-4, 2 RBI
Greene: 2-4, R
Kreidler: 1-4, R, 2B, 2 SO
Coming Up Next: RHP Elvin Rodriguez (2-0, 2.01 ERA) has led the way for Erie’s rotation this year. He’ll take on RHP Noe Toribio (1-1, 4.18 ERA) on Thursday.
Lake County Captains 4, West Michigan Whitecaps 2 (box)
The Whitecaps built a slim lead and held it, with starter Brendan White throwing six scoreless innings. Unfortunately, the Captains dropped four runs on them in the bottom of the eighth to pull this one out late.
Bryant Packard got things going with a leadoff single in the second inning. He moved to third on a Wenceel Perez double and scored on a fielders choice to make it 1-0 ‘Caps. In the fifth, Eric de la Rosa finally got all of one, cracking his first home run to straightaway cetner field. Unfortunately, the Captains pitchers threw strikes all night and West Michigan could never muster much of a rally the rest of the way.
Perez: 2-4, 2B, 2 SO
De La Rosa: 1-2, R, RBI, HR, BB, SO
Packard: 1-4, R, SO
White: 6.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 4 SO
Coming Up Next: RHP Chance Kirby (3-2, 3.48 ERA) takes the ball against the Captains on Thursday. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. ET.
Lakeland Flying Tigers vs. Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (postponed)
Rain and wet ground washed these two out on Wednesday. They’ll play a doubleheader on Thursday instead. Joey Wentz will make a rehab start in game one as he continues working his way back from UCL surgery.