Erie Closer Jeff Ferrell notches 12th save in SeaWolves victory

Toledo Mud Hens 10, Durham Bulls 7 (box)

The Mud Hens scored in each of their first five innings at the plate, taking a 7-0 lead in what looked to be an easy win over the Bulls. Then, things unraveled in the sixth. Starter Mike Belfiore and reliever Rafael Dolis fell apart, allowing seven runs in the frame to tie the game. Dolis was able to get out of the inning, and Ian Krol worked a pair of scoreless innings. Meanwhile, Toledo's offense scored in the top of the eighth and ninth to walk away with a three-run victory. Dolis got the win despite allowing four runs in 1 1/3 innings. Toledo's offense had 17 hits on the night, including home runs from Xavier Avery, Tyler Collins (2), and Mike Hessman. Jordan Lennerton reached base five times.

Avery: 3-6, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI, SO
Hessman: 3-5, 2B, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, SO
Collins: 3-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, SO
Lennerton: 3-3, R, 2 BB
Belfiore: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 10 SO
Dolis (W): 1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, BB, 2 SO

COMING UP NEXT: The Mud Hens will travel to Norfolk, Virginia to take on the Tides in a three-game weekend series. Tim Melville (3-6, 5.49 ERA) will start for Toledo against Norfolk's Kevin Gausman.

Erie SeaWolves 2, Altoona Curve 1 (box)

If anyone has proven to be a thorn in the SeaWolves' (28-44) side this season, it has been the Altoona Curve (42-30). Coming into Thursday evening, Erie had only notched a pair of victories in the 12 meetings between the two teams so far this year. Erie righty Austin Kubitza (5-5, 5.07 ERA) had the hill for the SeaWolves, holding the Curve to one earned run off six hits scattered over seven innings.

The SeaWolves were 7-for-34 at the plate with a pair of hits coming courtesy of Wynton Bernard and Jared Reaves. Bernard also posted the only extra base hit for Erie on the evening with a double at the top of the seventh. The tag-team relief effort from Erie's Joe Rogers and closer Jeff Ferrell was enough to keep the Curve at bay and secure the SeaWolves' third victory against Altoona. Rogers picked his second win and the save handed Ferrell his 12^th this season, placing him in a fourth-place tie for saves overall in the Eastern League.

Reaves: 2-2, 2 BB
Bernard: 2-5, 2B, RBI, SO
Gaynor: 1-3, BB, SO
Robbins: 1-4, R
Kubitza: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER 3 BB, 2 SO
Rogers (W): 1.1 IP, SO

COMING UP NEXT: The SeaWolves look to close out their four-game road series with the Curve on Friday evening at Peoples Natural Gas Field with a victory. The SeaWolves will return home to Jerry Uht Park to host the visiting Bowie Baysox for a three-game home stand beginning on Saturday.

West Michigan Whitecaps 6, Lansing Lugnuts 5 (box)

Following a 33-36 first half conclusion for West Michigan (34-36), the Whitecaps hit the road to visit the first half division champion Lansing Lugnuts (42-29) on Thursday evening to kick off the second half of the season. Right hander Ross Seaton (7-3, 4.38 ERA) controlled the hill for West Michigan, battling the Lansing offense through six innings of work. Seaton was tagged for four earned runs off six hits, including a home run to Richard Urena in the first.

Lansing and West Michigan combined for 22 hits for the evening, bringing no shortage of excitement for those in attendance. Will Kengor and Shane Zeile combined for five of the 11 hits for West Michigan, while Austin Schotts and Joey Pankake each posted a pair of runs for the Whitecaps. Per usual, Whitecaps' reliever Joe Jimenez (3-1, 1.69 ERA) entered in the ninth and closed the door to earn his seventh save this season. West Michigan moves to 34-36 with the win.

Kengor: 3-5, RBI, SO
Zeile: 2-5, RBI, SO
Schotts: 1-2, 2 R, 2 BB
Pankake: 0-3, 2 R, 2 BB, SO
Gerber: 1-5, 3B, R, 2 SO
Seaton (W): 6.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, BB, 3 SO

COMING UP NEXT: West Michigan returns to Cooley Law School Stadium on Friday for game two of the four-game road series for the Whitecaps. Starlyn Suriel (5-3, 2.60 ERA) will get the start for the Lugnuts against West Michigan starter Artie Lewicki (0-2, 5.02 ERA).

★★★

The Lakeland Flying Tigers and Tampa Yankees were forced indoors due to storms passing through and forcing a postponement to the first of a two-game series on the road for the Flying Tigers. Game two is slated for Friday evening at 7 p.m. ET.