Toledo Mud Hens 7, Louisville Bats 2 (box)
Dylan File went seven innings in this one while the Mud Hens were clutch in cashing in their scoring opportunities on Friday.
The Hens opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the second. Eduardo Valencia led off with a double, took third on a Trei Cruz ground out, and scored when a Tyler Gentry grounder to third went for an error.
They expanded that lead in the fourth. Valencia led the way again with a leadoff walk. A one-out single from Gentry was followed by a walk to Cal Stevenson, loading
the bases. Andrew Navigato flew out, but Max Clark correctly challenged a 3-2 pitch that was called a strike and drew an RBI walk instead. The Bats went to their bullpen and Jace Jung greeted Zach McCambley with a two-run single for a 4-0 lead.
File wasn’t missing bats, but he carved his way through the Bats lineup for six scoreless innings. In the seventh, he surrendered two runs. Beau Brieske took over and was strong for two innings to wrap this up.
The Hens lineup made it easy for them. Max Clark dumped a pop up into shallow left field for a single and took second on a Jung ground out. Max Anderson singled him in to make it 5-2.
Tyler Gentry added a two-run shot in the eighth to pull away further.
Gentry: 2-2, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR
Clark: 2-3, R, RBI, BB
Anderson: 1-2, RBI, BB
File (W, 6-6): 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: The Hens lead 3-1 in the series with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Erie SeaWolves 6, Chesapeake Baysox 2 (box)
Hayden Minton led the SeaWolves with a strong start, and Justice Bigbie continues to rake, stretching his hit steak to 23 games with another 3-hit night.
Bennett Lee opened the scoring with a solo shot in the top of the third. Minton leaked a run in the bottom half, but that was all he surrendered while striking out five over four innings of work.
The game was still knotted at 1-1 in the top of the seventh when Bigbie led off with a single and E.J. Exposito launched his 17th home run on the year for a 3-1 lead.
In the eighth, Patrick Lee led off with a single and with two outs, Peyton Graham drew a walk. Bigbie singled in Lee, and Josue Briceño singled through the right side to score Graham. Andrew Jenkins pulled a ball to third base but the Baysox threw it away, allowing Bigbie to score for a 6-1 lead.
Tanner Kohlhepp took over from Minton for two scoreless frames. Wandisson Charles handled the seventh and eighth, allowing just a solo shot. Trevin Michael struck out three in the ninth to wrap this up, maintaining his 1.26 ERA on the year.
Bigbie: 3-4, 2 R, RBI
Exposito: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR
Patrick Lee: 2-4, R, 2B, K, SB
Minton: 4.0 IP, ER, 5 H, BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start in Chesapeake on Saturday with the series tied 2-2.
Peoria Chiefs 5, West Michigan Whitecaps 3 (box)
Carlos Marcano left his start with an injury and the Chiefs continued to have the Whitecaps’ number in this one as they made it four straight wins.
In the top of the first Bryce Rainer drew a one-out walk. He took second on a ground out, and third on a wild pitch, scoring on a Luke Shliger single for a 1-0 lead.
Marcano leaked a run in the bottom half to tie things up as Tai Peete continued his reign of home run terror over the Whitecaps pitching staff. Marcano threw a pitch to start off the bottom of the third and was immediately in pain. He had to leave the game, and it didn’t look good at all. Best wishes to him. With Charlie Christensen moved to the 7-day IL on Friday, this pitching staff is basically Ben Jacobs and Lucas Elissalt. Promotions from Lakeland should change that shortly though.
Ryan Harvey took over and did a nice job spinning three scoreless innings.
Finally in the top of the seventh, Cristian Santana cranked a solo shot for a 2-1 lead. Zach MacDonald, recently promoted from Lakeland, followed with a single and took second after drawing throws from Peoria and getting a disengagement violation. Enderson Delgado walked, and the duo pulled off a double steal. Juan Hernandez came through with an RBI single to make it 3-1 Whitecaps.
Unfortunately, Preston Howey then got shelled for three home runs, including another one from Peete, in the bottom half, giving up four earned runs.
Shpur: 2-4, 2B, K
Santana: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, 2 K
Harvey: 3.0 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 0 BB, K
Coming Up Next: It’s an 8:05 p.m. ET start on Saturday.
Jupiter Hammerheads 6, Lakeland Flying Tigers 4 (box)
The Hammerheads ended Lakeland’s winning streak after starter Cash Kuiper had to leave the game in the first, leading to an emergency bullpen game.
Kuiper threw one pitch and then stepped to the back of the mound and threw up. His day was mercifully done as he left the game to recover from whatever illness was plaguing him. Xiomer Gaucache hurried into the game and the Hammerheads dropped four runs on him with a quickness. That was pretty much the game. The Flying Tigers outplayed Jupiter the rest of the way but couldn’t quite make up the difference. Gaucache allowed a solo shot in the second, so it was 5-0 heading into the bottom of the second inning.
Jesus Pinto doubled and Javier Osorio and Jordan Yost walked to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the second, but Beau Ankeney grounded out. Pedro Garcia took over on the mound for Lakeland in the third.
In the bottom of the fourth, Jack Goodman led off with a walk and Osorio single. A Yost grounder forced Osorio at second, but Ankeney lifted a sac fly to plate Goodman from third. 5-1 Jupiter.
Edian Espinal continued his raking ways with a leadoff homer to open the bottom of the fifth. Yendy Gomez allowed a run in the top of the seventh, so it was 6-2 Jupiter.
In the seventh, Thayron Liranzo led off with a walk and was wild pitched to second. An Espinal ground out got him to third and he scored on a Jude Warwick ground out. Hunter Dobbins doubled to lead off the bottom of the ninth, and he scored on a sharp Pinto single, but that was all the Flying Tigers could manage.
Espinal: 1-2, R, RBI, HR, 3 BB
Pinto: 2-5, RBI, 2B, 3 K
Yost: 1-2, 2 BB
Gaucache (L, 2-3): 2.0 IP, 5 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, K
Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers will look for a series victory at 6:00 p.m. ET on Saturday.
