St. Paul Saints 4, Toledo Mud Hens 3 (susp)
This one was suspended in the bottom of the second inning with a runner on second, two outs, and Michael Mariot pitching to MLB veteran, Tim Beckham. They’ll wrap this one up tomorrow prior to Wednesday’s scheduled 7:05 p.m. EDT start.
Erie SeaWolves 4, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 0 (box)
The Tigers are trying to dial back the usage on Wilmer Flores with his Futures Game appearance upcoming, so the fast-rising right-hander paired with Adam Wolf to give the SeaWolves six scoreless frames, three of them perfect innings from Flores.
Quincy Nieporte got the offense going with a leadoff single in the bottom of the second inning. Wenceel Perez doubled him over to third, and after Dillon Dingler flew out, Andrew Navigato was walked to load the bases. Eric De La Rosa came up with a line drive single to score two, and the SeaWolves had a lead they wouldn’t surrender.
The bullpen took over with solid work over the final three frames, and the SeaWolves rallied for two more in the eighth to pull away. Daniel Cabrera started things with a one out double, then Andre Lipcius walked. Parker Meadows reached on an error, and the bases were jacked as the Ponies went back to their bullpen. A catcher interference call with Nieporte batting pushed one run around, and then Perez drew a four pitch walk to force in Lipcius as well. Dingler grounded into an inning ending double play, but this one was in the bag.
Perez: 1-3, R, RBI, 2B, BB
De La Rosa: 1-3, 2 RBI
Lipcius: 1-3, R, BB
Flores: 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 SO
Coming Up Next: The two clubs meet up again on Wednesday night at 6:05 p.m. EDT.
West Michigan Whitecaps 1, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 0 (box)
Carlos Guzman put up a good start, blanking the Timber Rattlers for five innings with five strikeouts. The strike throwing still wasn’t very efficient, but it was enough, and the bullpen carried it over through four innings of one-hit ball to shut out the Rattlers.
Of course Wisconsin pitching was no slouch either. The Whitecaps managed just five hits and a walk, despite only striking out six times total. They got their first baserunner in the third with one out when Ben Malgeri walked and stole second, but didn’t mount a scoring threat until Josh Crouch and Austin Murr singled with one out. Unfortunately Jake Holton struck out, and Corey Joyce popped out to waste the opportunity. Finally in the bottom of the ninth, they got another chance when Crouch doubled with one out, and a batter later Holton singled him home with the walkoff winner.
Crouch: 2-4, R, 2B
Murr: 2-4
Guzman: 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 5 SO
Coming Up Next: They’ll get back at it at 12:05 p.m. EDT on Wednesday. RHP Israel Pullo (1-1, 1.50 ERA) starts for Wisconsin, while the Whitecaps have yet to announce.
Lakeland Flying Tigers 2, Palm Beach Cardinals 1 (box)
The Flying Tigers also won on the back of strong pitching to start their series with the Cardinals off right. Matt Manning made his first rehab start, and was pretty wild, but allowed just a single and a walk in two scoreless innings of work, throwing 13 of 28 pitches for strikes. Williander Moreno and Jack Anderson followed from there with three innings apiece. Moreno allowed the Cardinals only run in the third inning, putting them ahead early on. Anderson was better, punching out five in his three frames.
The Flygers offense couldn’t get anything going in this one until they finally broke through with the game on the line. Lazaro Benitez led off the top of the ninth with a single and Austin Schultz came in to pinch-run. Cristian Santana flew out, but Izaac Pacheco singled on a line drive to center, and Manuel Sequera came through with a line drive double to left to score Schultz. Palm Beach gave Roberto Campos a free pass to get to Justice Bigbie, but Bigbie grounded to second, allowing Pacheco to score the game winner. Erick Pinales locked down his third save, pitching around a walk to wrap this one up.
Pacheco: 2-4, R, SO
Sequera: 1-4, RBI, 2B
Manning: 2.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 SO
Anderson (W, 3-3): 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 5 SO
Coming Up Next: RHP Tink Hence (0-1, 1.16 ERA) throws for Palm Beach on Wednesday night, while the Flying Tigers haven’t announced a starter yet.