Louisville Bats 2, Toledo Mud Hens 0 (box)
This wasn’t a particularly well pitched game as both teams issued walks left and right, but neither team could muster any power and the Bats scratched out a pair of runs that were the difference.
Randy Dobnak got the start for Toledo. He was pretty good, scattering three hits and a walk while striking out three. Early on the Bats couldn’t get anything going. Finally in the fourth, Rece Hinds beat out an infield single to Hao-Yu Lee at third and then stole second. Old friend Ryan Vilade singled him
in home, and Dobnak cleaned up the inning without issue.
Jose Urquidy took over in the fourth, and he issued a pair of walks but didn’t allow a run. His stuff looked solid again but his command wasn’t as sharp.
The Hens offense began the game with walks drawn by Lee and Akil Baddoo to open the bottom of the first. Eduardo Valencia grounded out, but Justyn-Henry Malloy walked as well to load the bases. Gage Workman struck out, and Max Anderson hit a fly ball to center field for the final out. That was kind of how it went all night as the Hens drew eight walks, but managed only three hits.
In the fifth, Riley Unroe doubled with one out, but Tomas Nido promptly struck out. Hao-Yu Lee drew his second walk of the game, but a Baddoo ground out ended the inning.
Paul Sewald handled the seventh inning, getting a pair of routine ground outs and then a fly ball to Workman in center for the final out of his outing.
Dylan Smith returned from rehab work in the lower minors to make his first appearance with the Hens since early July. He walked the first batter he faced, then got a ground out that moved the runner to second. A Hinds single made it 2-0 before Smith punched out Edwin Rios and Vilade to end his inning of work.
Tyler Mattison handled the eighth and gave up a leadoff single to Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Connor Joe drew a walk, but then Mattison bore down and punched out the next three hitters in order.
The Hens faced Buck Farmer in the eighth without success. In the ninth, Workman led off with a single but was forced on an Anderson ground ball. Trei Cruz lined out to second base and Anderson advanced on defensive indifference with Unroe at the plate. Unroe walked as well, bringing Nido to the plate as the potential winning run, but his 402 foot fly ball to center was caught to end the game.
Lee: 1-2, 2 BB
Unroe: 1-3, 2B, BB
Dobnak (L, 2-8): 4.0 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 3 K
Altoona Curve 11, Erie SeaWolves 2 (box)
The SeaWolves were out-pitched and out-hit badly in this one as Altoona evened the series at a game apiece on Wednesday.
Travis Kuhn started the bullpen game and allowed a run in the first before giving way to Garrett Burhenn, who tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Tanner Kohlhepp took over with one out in the fifth and immediately gave up a solo shot to Konnor Griffin. Kohlhepp then melted down completely in the sixth, allowing four runs, though due to the bizarre nature of the rules in cases like this, he was only charged for one run because of a Jake Holton error that allowed the leadoff hitter to reach. Kohlhepp walked the next hitter before getting to line outs. He then allowed a single, a walk, balked in a run, and generally went to pieces.
The SeaWolves got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when Danny Serretti walked and Seth Stephenson doubled him home. After the catastrophe in the top of the sixth, Kevin McGonigle and Josue Briceño singled to open the bottom half. McGonigle stole third and eventually scored on a Carlos Mendoza ground out, but that was all that they’d get out of the inning, or indeed the rest of the game.
Blair Calvo surrendered five runs in the top of the eighth to put this one entirely out of reach.
McGonigle: 2-4, R, 2B, K, SB
Briceno: 1-3, BB
Stephenson: 1-4, RBI, 2B, K
Burhenn: 3.1 IP, 0 R, H, BB, 2 K
Florida State League and Midwest League playoffs
After both the Lakeland Flying Tigers and West Michigan Whitecaps took home Game 1 victories on Tuesday, they each now come home to try and close out their opponents on Thursday.
The Flying Tigers will welcome in the Clearwater Threshers to Publix Field for a 6:30 p.m. ET start time. If needed, Game 3 will be set for 6:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
Hayden Minton will take on the Lake County Captains left-hander Caden Favors at 6:35 p.m. ET at LMCU Park. If necessary, they’ll play a Game 3 on Friday night at the same time.
The winner of each of these series will move on to the championship series, also set for three games apiece.
