Toledo Mud Hens 18, Columbus Clippers 5 (box)
Sawyer Gipson-Long was scratched prior to this game, fueling talk that he might be part of a spot start plan against the Rangers on Sunday in Casey Mize’s regular turn. Instead, it was a bullpen day with Grant Holman leading the way, and early on the Clippers built a 4-0 lead after Sean Hunley allowed a three-run third inning in relief. As you can see by the score, things would take a decisive turn in the Mud Hens’ favor.
It was still 4-0 Columbus when Cal Stevenson led off the fifth with a single.
Andrew Navigato doubled him to third, but Tomas Nido flew out to shallow center and Stevenson couldn’t score on that fly ball, nor the shallow fly to right that followed from Max Burt. He would score on a Ben Malgeri bouncer that he beat out. Tyler Gentry doubled in Navigato and Malgeri, and it was a 4-3 Clippers lead.
In the sixth, Corey Julks led off with a walk, and Eduardo Valencia singled. After a Stevenson strikeout, Navigato singled in Julks, and later in the inning, a Max Burt single and an error brought home Valencia and Navigato. Malgeri walked, and Gentry came through with another two-run double to make it 8-4 Mud Hens. Gentry, a former Royals farmhand, has always had a very well rounded game and just never broke through to the major league level. Now 27, the right-handed hitting corner outfielder is a bit of an interesting depth option in Toledo.
In the top of the seventh, the Clippers walked in two runs, and Malgeri cleared the bases with a double that made it 13-4.
Scott Effross allowed a run in the bottom of the seventh, but in the eighth, singles from Valencia and Stevenson set the table for Navigato, who crushed his first home run since rejoining the Tigers’ organization. 16-5 Hens. They added two more in the ninth for fun.
Max Clark had the night off and missed this party.
Navigato: 3-4, 4 R, 4 RBI, 2B, HR, BB
Malgeri: 3-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2B, BB
Gentry: 2-5, R, 4 RBI, 2 2B, BB, K
Holman: 2.0 IP, ER, H, BB, K
Coming Up Next: The Hens take a 3-1 lead in the series into a 4:05 p.m. ET matchup on Saturday.
Erie SeaWolves 7, Chesapeake Baysox 4 (box)
John Peck remains absolutely on fire for Erie, and the offense cracked three home runs to win behind a solid day from the bullpen.
The SeaWolves got rolling immediately with a five run bottom of the first. Peyton Graham singled with one out and then stole his 13th bag of the young season. Brett Callahan made it a moot point, cranking his third home run of the season. Peck smoked a double to left, and a Justice Bigbie lineout to right, Andrew Jenkins doubled in Peck, and then rode home on an E.J. Exposito two-run shot. 5-0 SeaWolves.
Colin Fields and Johan Simon both tossed a pair of scoreless innings to start off the bullpen day. Peck cracked a solo shot in the third, making that four straight days with a home run. He would also single, steal second, and score on a Jenkins single in the eighth.
Trevin Michael allowed a pair of runs in the middle innings, but Tyler Owens handled the seventh and eighth with no issues. Wandisson Charles was knocked around for a pair of runs in the ninth but eventually pulled it together.
Peck: 3-4, 3 R, RBI, 2B, HR, K, SB
Jenkins: 3-4, R, 2 RBI, 2 2B
Owens: 2.0 IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 1:35 p.m. ET start in Erie on Saturday with the SeaWolves up 3-1 in the series.
Cedar Rapids Kernels 8, West Michigan Whitecaps 4 (box)
The Kernels continue to have the Whitecaps number as they mauled Rayner Castillo and cruised to an easy victory on Friday.
After a good outing last time out, Castillo couldnt’ miss bats in this one and the Kernels scored two runs in each of the first three innings.
Jackson Strong singled, stole second, and scored after a pair of ground outs in the top of the first. So it was a 6-1 games when Castillo’s outing ended early. In the top of the fifth, Samuel Gil doubled in Hunter Dobbins and Strong to cut the lead to 6-3, but that was as close as they’d get.
Luke Stofel allowed a pair of runs in the sixth to make it 8-3. Cristian Santana doubled in the eighth and was wild pitched to third, where he would score on a Juan Hernandez ground out.
The combination of Castillo, Inohan Paniagua, Stofel, and CJ Weins combined for just three strikeouts against five walks, as the system wide drought in pitching contines. Only Ben Jacobs, Kelvis Salcedo, and Grayson Grinsell have really been impressive out of the field of prospects so far.
Hernandez: 1-3, RBI, 2B, BB, K
Strong: 1-4, 2 R, BB, K, SB
Castillo (L, 0-3): 3.2 IP, 6 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Saturday as the Whitecaps try to avoid a sweep.
Bradenton Marauders 5, Lakeland Flying Tigers 4 (box)
The Flying Tigers got a pretty good short outing from Kelvis Salcedo on Friday, and did a pretty good job at the plate against one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. The bullpen let them down a bit late to lose this one after they’d mounted a comeback.
Anibal Sales smashed a 98 mph Hernandez fastball for a solo shot in the second to open the scoring. Javier Osorio followed him with a double but was stranded. In the third, Zach MacDonald turned on a slider and bashed his eighth home run of the young season. He’ll be coming to a Whitecaps game near you pretty soon, but the strikeouts remain a pretty big problem as well.
This was just Salcedo’s second outing of the year, so he’s still building up his pitch count. He punched out five in three innings of work, but did give up a solo shot to Cristian Jauregui in the third before wrapping up his outing.
The Flying Tigers kept getting some traffic on the bases against Hernandez but wouldn’t score off of him again. Charlie Christensen threw a clean fourth for Lakeland, but he leaked a pair of runs in the fifth to lose the lead. So it was 3-2 Bradenton, and then 4-2 when Luke Hoskins allowed a run in the sixth.
The Flying Tigers struck back in the seventh with Hernandez’s day over. Jude Warwick led off with a double and Jesus Pinto was hit by a pitch. The next two hitters made outs, but Beau Ankeney drove a ball to center for a double to plate both runs and tie the game 4-4.
Unfortunately, Bradenton immediately untied it with a solo shot to lead off the eighth, and the Flying Tigers couldn’t manage another comeback.
MacDonald: 2-5, R, RBI, HR, 3 K
Salas: 2-4, R, RBI, HR, 2 K
Salcedo: 3.0 IP, ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: Bradenton leads the series 3-1.
