Colt Keith racks up four hits in Mud Hens victory

Toledo Mud Hens 11, Iowa Cubs 6 (box)

The Toledo Mud Hens came into this one just a game and a half back of the Iowa Cubs in the West Division of the International League, though still three games behind first place St. Paul. There are still 23 games left in the regular season, but obviously the Hens need to get on a roll and put the Cubs behind them right here in a home series.

The Mud Hens jumped on the Cubs right out of the gate to give starter Keider Montero a bit of a lead to work with. Justyn-Henry Malloy ripped a double up the right center field gap with one out in the bottom of the first. However he was erased when he tried to take third on a passed ball and was thrown out. They got something done anyway as Colt Keith doubled to the wall in right field and Tyler Nevin followed suit to put up the first run of the game.

In the bottom of the third, Perez and Malloy walked with one out, and Keith lined a sharp single to left to load the bases. Nevin again followed Keith, singling to left to score Perez and Malloy. 3-0 Hens.

Meanwhile, Montero was cruising along, no-hitting the Cubs through four innings. He hit Pete Crow-Armstrong with a yanked slider in the top of the third with two outs as a light rain persisted, and Crow-Armstrong then stole second, but Montero punched out Yonathan Periaza to avoid any damage.

It was until the fifth that Montero finally got into a real jam. He hit the leadoff hitter, who was then erased by Dillon Dingler trying to steal second. Montero walked the next hitter and then surrendered a two-run shot that made it 3-2 Hens. That would also be the only hit Montero allowed in this one.

Fortunately, the offense was just getting warmed up. Perez led off the fifth with another walk, and Malloy followed by drawing a walk as well. Keith singled in Perez, and after Nevin struck out, Nick Maton singled to load the bases. An Andre Lipcius triple cleared them and he would later score on a ground out. The Hens were off to the races with an 8-2 lead.

Montero, whose command had wilted late in his outing, walked the leadoff hitter to start the sixth and was lifted for Sam Clay. Clay would eventually give up a three-run shot, so Montero ended up charged for three runs over five innings. 8-5 Hens.

The Cubs scored another run in the top of the seventh, but Nick Maton scored on an Eddys Leonard double to make it 9-6. Maton had another RBI single in the eighth, and Leonard was later hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, reaching the game’s final score.

Colt Keith had four hits on the night. After struggling early in his Triple-A debut, the infielder has a 1.058 OPS in August. He turned 22 years old a few weeks ago.

Keith: 4-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B

Leonard: 1-2, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 BB, K

Malloy: 1-2, 3 R, 2B, 3 BB, K

Montero (W, 3-2): 5.0 IP, 3 ER, H, 3 BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: RHP Rony Garcia (1-0, 7.58 ERA) gets the start on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. ET.

Altoona Curve 7, Erie SeaWolves 5 (box)

Both starting pitchers held the opposing lineup in check through four innings in this first-of-six from UPMC Park. Lefty Adam Wolf blanked the Curve through four, but in the fifth they scored three runs against him to end his night.

Ben Malgeri got the SeaWolves their first run with a solo shot to lead off the sixth, but in the seventh the Curve dropped three more on reliever Michael Bienlien.

With one out in the bottom half, Jake Holton singled and Corey Joyce walked. Daniel Cabrera reached on an error, and Julio E. Rodriguez singled in Holton and Joyce to make it 6-3, Altoona.

Jace Jung led off the bottom of the eighth with a single and eventually scored on a Joyce single to cut the lead to 6-4 Altoona. That was as close as they’d get to a comeback. The Curve added a run in the top of the ninth, and while Jung singled in Malgeri in the bottom half, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate, Chris Meyers grounded into a game ending double play.

Malgeri: 2-3, 2 R, RBI, HR, 2B, BB

Jung: 2-5, R, RBI, K

Holton: 3-4, R

Wolf (L, 3-4): 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: No starters are yet announced for Wednesday’s 6:05 p.m. ET matchup. In other news, 26-year-old reliever Yaya Chentouf was also released by the Tigers today.

West Michigan Whitecaps 5, Lansing Lugnuts 2 (box)

Wilmer Flores returned from his hamstring injury for a rehab appearance, and the Whitecaps came up with a few key hits to take down the Lugnuts in the state capitol.

Flores has been out since July 21st, and looked pretty good in his return. He tossed a pair of scoreless innings, hitting 96 mph on the radar gun. After a big breakout campaign in 2022, Flores has battled a few minor injuries and inconsistent velocity this year. His prospect stock has diminished a little in some quarters. Personally I think a year like this is pretty understandable and still view him as the second best pitching prospect in the system. He needed some refinement and he needed to take a few lumps. I expect a resurgent Wilmer Flores in 2024.

The Whitecaps broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth when Brady Allen singled to lead off the inning. Gage Workman followed with a single and a wild pitch advanced them 90 feet. An Izaac Pacheco sacrifice fly eventually brought home Allen to take a 1-0 lead.

In the fifth, Austin Murr led off with a single, and Carlos Mendoza reached on an error. Seth Stephenson was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and after Brady Allen struck out, Workman singled in Murr. Luke Gold was then plunked in the head, a scary moment that left him shaken up. Esney Chacon took over as pinch runner and the hit batter forced in the third run for the Whitecaps. After Andrew Jenkins struck out, Pacheco singled the opposite way to score two runs. 5-0 ‘Caps.

That was all they’d need. Garrett Burhenn took over from Flores and tossed five scoreless innings. The Lugnuts got a pair of runs in the eighth, but Trevin Michael slammed the door in the ninth for his third save for the Whitecaps.

Workman: 3-5, R, RBI, K

Stephenson: 2-3, R, 3B, K, CS

Burhenn (W, 5-6): 5.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, BB, 6 K

Coming Up Next: RHP Jackson Jobe (2-1, 4.50 ERA) gets the ball on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Lugnuts haven’t announced a starter yet.

Lakeland Flying Tigers at Jupiter Hammerheads (postponed)

They were rained out in Florida, and unfortunately that’s likely to be the story for the next few days as Hurricane Idalia nears. They’ll try to play a doubleheader on Thursday to make up the game, and it looks like the rest of the series has been moved to the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, instead of at Roger Dean Stadium. Not sure how that helps as the two parks are only miles apart, but ok.