Recent Tigers draft pick Drew Smith dominates in relief for Connecticut

Toledo Mud Hens 10, Durham Bulls 3 (box)

The Mud Hens scored two runs apiece in the second, fourth, and fifth innings, cruising to their fourth consecutive win over the Bulls. After Durham pulled within three runs in the top of the eighth, Jefry Marte ended all doubt with a grand slam in the bottom of the inning for Toledo. Marte was one of six Mud Hens with multi-hit games, and they racked up 13 hits as a team. Jordan Lennerton hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, his fourth of the season. Thad Weber only pitched three innings, but the Mud Hens bullpen got the job done with two runs allowed in six innings. Rafael Dolis got the win with a pair of scoreless innings.

Marte: 2-4, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB
Lennerton: 1-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB, SO
Moya: 2-5, 2B, R, SO
Avila: 2-3, R, 2 RBI, SO
Casilla: 2-4, 2B, R
Weber: 3.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
Dolis (W): 2.0 IP, 0 ER, BB, 2 SO

COMING UP NEXT: The Mud Hens will send Mike Belfiore (3-7, 5.82 ERA) to the mound this afternoon as they look to sweep the Bulls out of town. Durham will rely on former Minnesota Twins lefthander Scott Diamond (7-3, 3.61 ERA) to snap their three-game skid.

Binghamton Mets 10, Erie SeaWolves 5 (box)

The Mets broke open a relatively close game with a four-run seventh inning, and thwarted a mini rally from Erie to win their final game in June. SeaWolves starter Derek Hankins was unable to make it through five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits with six strikeouts. Relievers Confesor Lara and Ryan Robowski weren't much better, allowing a combined five runs on 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings. A pair of costly errors from the Erie defense led to three unearned runs in the seventh, when Binghamton broke the game open. The bottom of the Erie lineup was productive, but the top of the order went a combined 0-for-12 with two walks.

Harrell: 2-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, SO
Krizan: 2-4, 2B
Gonzalez: 2-3, 2 R, RBI, BB, SO
Robbins: 1-4, 2B, R, RBI, SO
Hankins (L): 4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO

COMING UP NEXT: Erie will send righty Tommy collier (2-0, 1.99 ERA) to the mound in hopes of snapping their three-game losing streak. Seth Lugo (2-4, 4.21 ERA) will start for Binghamton.

Jupiter Hammerheads 6, Lakeland Flying Tigers 2 (box)

The Lakeland offense managed 10 hits in this game, including seven off Jupiter starter Jose Adames in six innings, but they left 13 runners on base in a lackluster home loss. Francisco Martinez and Jared Reaves both had three hits apiece for Lakeland (all singles), but did not score either of the Flying Tigers' runs. Dominic Ficociello and Javier Betancourt had the two RBI for Lakeland, while Raph Rhymes added a pair of hits. Flying Tigers Trent Szkutnik took the loss, allowing four runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Martinez: 3-5
Reaves: 3-4, SO
Rhymes: 2-4, 2B, BB, SO
Betancourt: 1-3, 2B, R, RBI, BB
Ficociello: 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB, SO
Szkutnik (L): 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, BB, 2 SO

COMING UP NEXT: Lakeland will send righty Matt Crouse (4-1, 2.03 ERA) to the hill as they kick off a three game series with the Daytona Tortugas.

Lake County Captains 12, West Michigan Whitecaps 1 (box)

Ouch. Lake County jumped on Whitecaps starter Fernando Perez for five runs (four earned) on nine hits in four innings to hand him his seventh loss of the season. However, the real damage didn't come until the eighth inning, when the Captains scored seven runs off righthander Adam Ravenelle. Meanwhile, West Michigan's offense was silenced. They had just seven hits on the evening and no extra-base hits.

Kivett: 2-4, R, SO
Pankake: 1-4, SO
Kengor: 1-4, RBI
Perez (L): 4.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB, SO
Ravenelle: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, SO

COMING UP NEXT: Ross Seaton (7-3, 4.38 ERA) will go for his eighth win of the season tonight against Lake County righty Jordan Milbrath (2-7, 6.21 ERA).

Connecticut Tigers 2, Tri-City ValleyCats 1 (box)

After falling behind 1-0 in the second inning, Connecticut scored runs in the third and fifth innings to squeak out a close victory. Righthander Sandy Baez allowed a run on two hits in five innings for the win, but strong work from recent draft pick Drew Smith helped bridge the gap to Jordan Smith, who allowed three hits in a scoreless inning for his third save. Drew Smith now has 10 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings this year. Josh Lester and Christin Stewart led the Tigers offense with an RBI apiece, and Cam Gibson added a pair of hits. Gibson was caught stealing in the fourth.

Gibson: 2-4
Havrilak: 2-4, SO
Stewart: 1-4, 2B, RBI, 2 SO
Lester: 1-3, 2B, R, RBI, SO
Baez (W): 5.0 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 4 SO
D. Smith: 3.0 IP, 0 ER, BB, 4 SO

COMING UP NEXT: Connecticut will kick off a three-game series with the Lowell Spinners, an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Righthander Daniel Gonzalez (2-0, 1.80 ERA) will start for the Spinners.