Toledo Mud Hens 4, Columbus Clippers 2 (box)
Ricardo Pinto and Heath Fillmyer locked into a prolonged duel in this one, but the Hens eventually broke through late to win on Thursday night. Pinto tossed seven innings of scoreless ball with seven strikeouts, allowing just three hits and two walks. Meanwhile, Mr. Fillmyer got the first nine Hens in order, and they didn’t break through until he departed after five. It was Christin Stewart’s triple to center in the seventh inning against old friend Anthony Gose that sparked the first run of the game. Yariel Gonzalez’s ground out scored Stewart to give them a 1-0 lead. In the eighth, a Renato Nuñez two run triple keyed a three run inning. Angel De Jesus allowed a pair of runs in a shaky ninth inning, but eventually closed them out.
Nuñez: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, 3B, BB, SO
Stewart: 1-3, 3B, SO
Pinto (W, 3-1): 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 SO
Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start at Fifth Third Field on Friday night.
Erie SeaWolves 5, Reading Fightin Phils 3 (box)
The SeaWolves rode a big home run from Josh Lester to victory in this one. Andre Lipcius reached on a grounder to third to lead off the second inning. Kerry Carpenter and John Valente singled, and Lester cranked a 412 footer to deep right center field to complete a four run frame. Jesus Rodriguez and Ethan DeCaster had a little trouble with the Phils in the third and fourth inning, but Chavez Fernander shut them down for three innings, and Cale Coshow picked up his second save for the SeaWolves.
Lester: 2-4, R, 3 RBI, HR
Greene: 2-4, 2 SB
Valente: 2-3, R, RBI, BB
Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start for Erie and Reading at UPMC Park on Friday night.
West Michigan Whitecaps 4, Peoria Chiefs 2 (Gm 1)(F/7)(box)
Andrew Navigato accounted for three of the ‘Caps RBI and Evan White gave them six solid innings to take the first of Thursday’s doubleheader. Wenceel Perez was the spark, hitting second in the lineup behind Eric de la Rosa, Perez singled, walked twice, and was on base to score on Daniel Cabrera’s single in the first, and Navigato’s two run single in the third. In between, Navigato hit his first homer with the ‘Caps in the second inning. Bryce Tassin closed it out for his first save.
Navigato: 2-3, R, 3 RBI, HR
Cabrera: 2-3, R, RBI, BB
White (W, 2-1): 6.0, 2 ER, 7 H, BB, 4 SO
West Michigan Whitecaps 3, Peoria Chiefs 2 (Gm 2)(F/7)(box)
Bryant Packard’s two run shot in the first inning carried the ‘Caps as they swept the doubleheader. Andrew Navigato doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly, while Packard followed up with his fourth long ball of the season with Daniel Cabrera aboard. Beyond that the Whitecaps’ offense went silent the rest of the game. Starter Adam Wolf threw strikes for six innings and blanked the Chiefs until he finally ran into trouble trying to complete the game in the seventh. Zack Hess came on with one out and a run in, with runners on first and second, and was able to escape with the save.
Packard: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, SO
Wolf (W, 1-1): 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 4 SO
Coming Up Next: First pitch is set for 7:35 p.m. ET on Friday night.
Daytona Tortugas 5, Lakeland Flying Tigers 4 (box)
Daytona starter Jason Parker struck out 10 hitters in four innings, and his successive relievers all combined for a 21 strikeout game against the Flying Tigers. Meanwhile, the Flying Tigers walked eight Tortugas. Jake Holton’s two run shot with Colt Keith aboard in the fourth inning was the offensive highlight and the Flying Tigers held a one run lead into the eighth when Gabriel Sequeira allowed two runs to lose the game.
Holton: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR, 2 SO
Liniak: 2-4, BB, 2 SO, SB
Coming Up Next: RHP Carlos Guzman (2-2, 4.95 ERA) takes on RHP James Marinan (0-1, 9.00 ERA) on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. ET.