Jose Valverde notches save against Toledo Mud Hens in doubleheader split

Toledo Mud Hens 6, Syracuse Chiefs 5 (box)

Mud Hens starter Mike Belfiore allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings of work, but the Mud Hens rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning to steal a win away from the Chiefs, who have the worst record (19-40) in the International League. Steven Moya was the hero for the Mud Hens, doubling in the game-winning runs in the seventh. Moya also homered in the sixth inning and scored twice.

Moya: 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB
Fields: 1-3, 2B, R, BB, SO
McVaney: 1-2, 2B, R
Avery: 1-3, R, BB
Belfiore: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 3 SO
Valdez (W): 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, BB

Syracuse Chiefs 7, Toledo Mud Hens 4 (box)

Jose Valverde -- yes, that Jose Valverde -- picked up his first save of the season in a scoreless, hitless, walk-less inning against the Mud Hens, who were unable to score outside of a four-run fourth inning. Down 4-0 at the time, the Mud Hens strung together four hits after a Daniel Fields walk to tie the game. Unfortunately, Rafael Dolis was unable to keep Syracuse off the board in the next inning, and the Chiefs scored three runs to take the lead for good. The Mud Hens only had two hits in the other six innings of a seven-inning affair.

Moya: 1-3, 2B, R, RBI, 2 SO
Lennerton: 1-3, 2B, R, RBI, SO
Pina: 1-3, 2B, RBI, SO
Machado: 1-4, SO
VerHagen: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, BB, SO
Dolis (L): 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 BB

COMING UP NEXT: Tim Melville (2-5, 5.03 ERA) will start for the Mud Hens tonight against Taylor Jordan (1-2, 2.14 ERA) of the Chiefs as the teams finish up their three-game series.

Erie SeaWolves 3, Trenton Thunder 2 (box)

The SeaWolves coughed up a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, but scored a run in the top of the seventh to grind out a low-scoring win over second-place Trenton. Josh Turley was the star of the show for Erie, allowing just two runs on three hits in seven strong innings. Turley allowed just one hit in his first five innings, and was able to work out of a jam in the sixth to keep the game tied before the Erie offense went to work. Dean Green led the way with three hits and all three RBI for the SeaWolves.

D. Green: 3-4, 3 RBI, SO
Bernard: 2-3, 2B, 2 BB
Powell: 2-4, R, SO
A. Green: 1-3, 2B, 2 R, BB, SO
Turley (W): 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO

COMING UP NEXT: The SeaWolves and Thunder continue their three-game series this evening at Arm & Hammer Park. Caleb Smith (3-3, 4.20 ERA) will get the start for Trenton.

★★★

Advanced-A Lakeland was rained out on Tuesday. They will play a doubleheader at Joker Marchant Stadium today against the Fort Myers Miracle. The awesomely-named Mat Batts (0-1, 2.13 ERA) will start for Fort Myers against Kevin Ziomek (4-4, 4.55 ERA) in game one, while Lakeland's Jonathan Maciel (2-5, 6.22 ERA) will take on Ryan Eades (4-1, 3.19 ERA) in the nightcap.

After a scheduled off-day on Tuesday, the West Michigan Whitecaps will begin a three-game series tonight against the Peoria Chiefs. A.J. Ladwig (5-4, 4.33 ERA) will start for the Whitecaps against Luis Perdomo (2-5, 2.33 ERA) of Peoria. The Chiefs have a 27-31 record and sit in fifth place in the Midwestern League Western Division. The Whitecaps are two games better at 29-29, but are all the way back in sixth place in a rough-and-tumble Eastern Division.