Erie SeaWolves 18, Richmond Flying Squirrels 6 (box)
This was just a vicious beatdown in Game 1 of the Eastern League playoffs. Lucas Elissalt threw an okay game but it hardly mattered as catcher Luke Shliger crushed two grand slams and the SeaWolves turned this into a laugher two innings into the game.
Elissalt gave up a leadoff single to Trevor Cohen to start the game, but erased him with a double play ball off the bat of Dayson Croes. However, Gavin Kilen followed with a triple to right field, and Sabin Ceballos singled him in. Elissalt locked up Dakota
Jordan for strike three to end the inning, and it was 1-0 Richmond. That was the last glimpse of a lead they’d get.
Richmond starter Miguel Mendez gave up a leadoff single to Peyton Graham, and the SeaWolves were off to the races. Woody Hadeen walked, and Zyhir Hope reached on an error to load the bases. Chris Meyers struck out, but Andrew Jenkins drew a walk to force in a game tying run. Luke Shliger then smoked the first pitch he saw for a grand slam. 5-1 Erie.
Izaac Pacheco flew out, but Richmond was already ready to go to their pen. Ryan Vanderhei took over and E.J. Exposito greeted him with a single. Seth Stephenson pulled a grounder to third, and a throwing error scored Exposito and got Stephenson to third. Peyton Graham then got his hands inside on a 1-0 pitch and hammered a two-run shot to left to make it 8-1 Erie.
Elissalt got three quick outs in the second, and the offense got right back to work against another new reliever, Henry Lalane.
Hope drew a leadoff walk, and Meyers drilled a double to center field. However, Hope was thrown out trying to score on the play. A balk got Meyers to third, and Jenkins singled him in. Shliger struck out, but Pacheco singled and Exposito doubled in Jenkins. Stephenson went the other way with a line drive single, and Pacheco and Exposito scored. 12-1 Erie.
The next two innings were uneventful. Elissalt got into a little trouble in the fourth with a pair of leadoff singles against him, but he got a ground out and whiffed the next two hitters to escape. He then cracked a bit in the fifth, giving up three singles and a double as Richmond scored two and made it 12-3.
Colin Fields took over in the top of the sixth and he surrendered a run to make it a 12-4 game. This affront woke the SeaWolves offense up again.
Hope led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and Meyers walked. The Squirrels went back to the pen yet again and Esmerlin Vinicio took over and promptly walked Jenkins to load the bases. Who was up next? Yep, Shliger crushed another grand slam to right field, and it was 16-4.
What a game for the scorching hot catcher who was released by the Giants, who drafted him in 2023, back in May. He would probably be playing for Richmond, the Giants Double-A affiliate, otherwise. Shliger didn’t really do anything of note after coming over. The soon-to-be 25-year-old was promoted to Erie in early August and has gone nuts, holding an OPS well over 1.000 ever since. He hit seven homers with the SeaWolves in about five weeks and appears to have unlocked his ability to pull more balls in the air.
Pacheco followed him with a double and Graham singled him in to make it a 17-4 lead.
Shliger led off the bottom of the eighth with a walk and eventually scored on Graham grounder that went as a fielder’s choice to make it 18-4. Wandisson Charles allowed two runs in the top of the ninth before finishing this mauling off. The Squirrels used eight pitchers in this game and only two managed a scoreless appearance.
Shliger: 2-4, 3 R, 8 RBI, 2 HR, BB, K
Graham: 2-6, 2 R, 4 RBI, HR
Exposito: 4-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B, K
Pacheco: 3-5, 2 R, 2B
Stephenson: 2-4, R, 3 RBI, BB, 2 K
Elissalt (W, 1-0): 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 9 H, 0 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: The series now moves to Richmond at 6:45 p.m. ET on Thursday. The SeaWolves can end this best of three then, and if not, they’ll play Game 3 at the same time on Friday night. Oddly, the Reading Fightin Phils also destroyed the Hartford Yard Goats in Game 1 on the other side of the bracket, winning by a ludicrious 21-4 score. You get results like this with the split season standings, as first half division winners are typically manned by a new crew of prospects by the time the postseason arrives.
Toledo Mud Hens 5, Louisville Bats 3 (box)
River Ryan’s second rehab appearance didn’t go nearly as well as the first, but three homers from his teammates were enough to take down the Bats on Tuesday.
The Bats poked a pair of singles off Ryan fastballs to start the game, but a double play ball made reasonably quick work of the inning.
In the bottom half, Trei Cruz led off with a single and took second on a balk. Cal Stevenson struck out, but Max Anderson singled in Cruz for a 1-0 lead.
Ryan hung an 0-2 slider to Michael Chavis in the second and that one was rocked for a solo shot to tie the game. In the third, a single-double combination scored another run, and Ryan was lifted after 39 pitches. We thought he might get another inning this time, but the Tigers remain pretty cautious with him. His velocity looked fine, but while he didn’t walk anyone and was working ahead, he did make a couple of mistakes and the Bats made him pay.
Carl Edwards Jr. finished the third, tossed a clean fourth, and then gave up a run in the fifth. So it was 3-1 Bats heading into the late innings.
Reliever Chase Petty took over for Louisville in the bottom of the seventh. It did not go well for him. Corey Julks and James Outman homered back-to-back to tie the game 3-3. Carlos Perez popped out, but Seby Zavala was up next, and he launched a solo shot as well to take the lead. Zavala singled in Jace Jung in the eighth to make it 5-3 Hens.
Edwards was really sharp, throwing 5.1 innings with just a run allowed despite giving up seven hits. He also struck out nine in the outing. Tyler Mattison walked a batter in the ninth, but closed it out for the save.
Zavala: 3-4, R, 2 RBI, HR
Cruz: 2-3, R, BB
Ryan: 2.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start in Toledo as the final series and homestand of the year continues for the Hens.
