Steven Moya leads hot offense in Mud Hens' victory

Toledo Mud Hens 11, Louisville Bats 2 (box)

As the Mud Hens (19-25) settled in for the Memorial Day afternoon on the road, they looked to right hander Thad Weber (4-3, 4.38 ERA) to deliver a masterpiece against Louisville (22-23) and he did just that. Weber worked seven strong innings with just 87 pitches, holding the Bats to one run and striking out five. Backing up Weber, the Mud Hens were electric at the plate, tallying up a trio of long balls -- courtesy of Steven Moya, Jefry Marte and Corey Jones -- and combining for 15 hits overall. Jordan Lennerton posted a pair of doubles for Toledo, while Jones brought a red-hot five RBI across the plate in favor of the Mud Hens. Louisville was held to 8-for-36 at the plate against the strong performances from the hill for Weber and Mud Hens reliever, Melvin Mercedes (0-1, 4.87 ERA).

Moya: 4-5, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI
Lennerton: 2-5, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI
Hessman: 2-5, 2B, R, SO
Marte: 2-4, 2B, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, 2 SO
Jones: 3-4, HR, R, 5 RBI, BB
Wilson: 0-5, BB
Weber (W): 7.0 IP. 5 H, 1 R (0 ER), BB, 5 SO

COMING UP NEXT: Toledo returns to face the Bats for game two of their three-game road series. The Mud Hens have slated lefty Mike Belfiore (1-6, 7.17 ERA) to take the hill against Louisville.

Trenton Thunder 6, Erie Seawolves 3 (box)

The Seawolves (16-27) entered Monday's finale at home against the visiting Trenton Thunder (23-21) having dropped two of the previous games in the series to their eastern neighbors. Erie righthander Chad Green (2-6, 4.84 ERA) received the nod to take the hill in hopes of recording his third win this season. Trenton tagged Green early on, scoring in the first, second and fourth innings to give them the edge. Green's campaign would be cut short, however when home plate umpire Doug Del Bello ejected Green in the sixth following a toss by Green that pegged Trenton's Ali Castillo. Despite the efforts of the Erie offense and their 10 hits posted for the evening, the hole was dug and it proved to be just deep enough that the Seawolves would not be able to crawl to the surface. Erie's Wade Gaynor and Wynton Bernard each posted doubles, while Dean Green submitted a home run drive in the sixth inning.

Gaynor: 2-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI
Bernard: 3-5, 2B
Green: 1-3, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB
Prince: 1-3, 2B, BB
Harrell: 0-5, SO
Green (L): 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 3 BB, 6 SO

COMING UP NEXT: The Seawolves hit the road on Tuesday for a three-game road series with the second-place Bowie Baysox.

West Michigan Whitecaps 4, Dayton Dragons 3 (box)

In typical fashion of the Whitecaps' rivalry with their Ohio counterparts, the concept of going a mundane nine innings of play is for the weak. They two clubs faced that once again with a back-and-forth battle at the plate as West Michigan (23-22) starter Spencer Turnbull (3-1, 3.40 ERA) commanded the hill. Dayton (23-22) made it their mission to bully the righthander, tagging him for three earned runs on nine hits through six innings of work. Michael Gerber was once again red-hot at the plate, notching four of the nine hits totaled by the Whitecaps for the Memorial Day campaign. West Michigan's Joey Pankake lifted the pressure off the Whitecaps in the 10th courtesy of an RBI single to score Michael Gerber. Another games of extras, another West Michigan victory. Reliever Joe Jimenez notched his second win on the year with the victory. The Whitecaps move to 23-22 on the year after taking three of four from the Dragons.

Gerber: 4-5, 2 R, 2B, RBI
Pankake: 1-5, RBI
Schotts: 1-4, 2B
Shepherd: 1-4, 2B, SO
Turnbull: 6.0 IP, 9 H, 3 R (3 ER), 5 BB, 2 SO
Jimenez (W): 1.0 IP, 2 SO

COMING UP NEXT: The Lake County Captains (24-21) will host West Michigan as the Whitecaps hit the road for a three-game series against the Captains.

★★★

The Lakeland Flying Tigers (21-22) took the holiday off to rest and will resume play on the road Tuesday evening against the Saint Lucie Mets (21-23) for the first of their four-game road series. Lakeland has slated lefty Ryan Longstreth (2-2, 2.02 ERA) to take the hill.