Jefry Marte's big night not enough for Toledo Mud Hens

Pawtucket Red Sox 7, Toledo Mud Hens 5 (box)

Mud Hens third baseman Jefry Marte had a huge night offensively, stroking a pair of doubles and driving in four runs, but it wasn't enough as Toledo dropped its third straight to the Red Sox. Starter Derek Hankins (1-1, 6.75 ERA) struggled with a tough Red Sox' lineup, giving up four runs in five innings of work. A three-run shot off the bat of Allen Craig in the fifth made it a 5-4 game. Josh Zeid held the slim, one-run lead through the sixth. Unfortunately, Angel Nesbitt -- demoted from the Tigers' on Friday night to clear a roster spot for Justin Verlander -- was not so successful, and was lit up for three runs in a third of an inning to take the loss. Dixon Machado and Xavier Avery each had two-hit games in the losing effort.

Marte: 3-4, 2 2B, 4 RBI
Machado: 2-5, R, RBI
Avery: 2-5, R, SO
Hankins: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO
Nesbitt: 0.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB

COMING UP NEXT: The Mud Hens conclude this four-game road series with the Red Sox on Sunday at 1:05 pm ET. They will send Mike Belfiore (2-7, 6.75 ERA) to the mound hoping to avoid the sweep against Pawtucket's Henry Owens (2-5, 3.64 ERA).

Erie SeaWolves 7, Richmond Flying Squirrels 4 (box)

Austin Kubitza (4-5, 4.77 ERA) bounced back from his last outing to throw six innings of one-run ball and take the victory on Saturday night. The SeaWolves' offense backed him with a relentless performance. Seven different SeaWolves hitters drove in runs and the entire lineup had at least one hit as they took it to the Flying Squirrels, blowing the game open with a four-run sixth inning. Kubitza wasn't helped by a four-error night defensively, and the Flying Squirrels did claw back with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. However, closer Jeff Ferrell (S, 8, 2.08 ERA) came on to slam the door in the ninth, preserving the victory.

Powell: 2-4, 2 R, BB, SB
Bernard: 1-5, R, RBI, 2 SO
Thomas: 2-5, RBI, SO
Kubitza (W): 6.0 IP, 6 H, ER, 3 SO, 2 BB
Ferrell: 1.0 IP, H, SO

COMING UP NEXT: The SeaWolves send their ace, Josh Turley (5-4, 2.97 ERA) to the mound looking to take the deciding game in the series on Sunday. He'll face Matt Lujan (4-4, 4.28 ERA) for the Flying Squirrels.

Dunedin Blue Jays 12, Lakeland Flying Tigers 4 (box)

Flying Tigers starter Trent Szkutnik (0-1, 32.40 ERA) was rudely welcomed in his first start at Advanced A-ball, as he recorded only five outs and was rocked for six earned runs. Francisco Martinez clubbed a three-run shot in the second inning to provide the bulk of the Flying Tigers' offense. Jiwan James and Bobby Borchering each chipped in a pair of hits in a seven-inning opener to this double-header.

Martinez: 1-3, HR, R, 3 RBI, SO
Borchering: 2-3, 2B, R, SO
Szkutnik (L): 1.2 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 SO, 2 BB, HR

Dunedin Blue Jays 5, Lakeland Flying Tigers 4 (box)

Flying Tigers' reliever Julio Felix (3-2, 3.58 ERA) allowed a walk-off home-run to the Blue Jays' Matt Dean to take the loss in game two. Starter Matt Crouse managed just 4 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs on the night. The Flying Tigers' offense drew seven walks, and posted six hits, but couldn't add on after their three-run fifth. Francisco Martinez doubled in a run in the inning for the only extra-base hit on the night.

Martinez: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R
Betancourt: 1-4, RBI
Crouse: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, BB, 4 SO
Felix (L): 2.0 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 3 SO

COMING UP NEXT: The Flying Tigers send Locke St. John (2-4, 3.57 ERA) to the mound against the Blue Jays' Luis Santos (3-5, 5.22 ERA) on Sunday.

★★★

The West Michigan Whitecaps game against the Burlington Bees was rained out on Saturday. They will play a double-header instead on Sunday. Jeff Thompson (2-5, 4.66 ERA) will face the Bees' Kenyan Middleton (2-3, 4.26 ERA) in game one at 2:00 pm ET. Tyler Ford (0-2, 2.27 ERA) a 27th round selection by the Tigers in the 2014 draft who has pitched very well so far, will battle the Bees' Austin Robichaux (4-2, 4.28 ERA) in game two.

With his four-RBI night on Saturday, Jefry Marte now leads the Mud Hens with 39 RBI on the season.