Tigers prospect Brett Pirtle collects 3 hits in Whitecaps win

Toledo Mud Hens 6, Norfolk Tides 5 (box)

The Mud Hens and Tides combined for 26 hits on Thursday, and Toledo came out on top despite a ninth inning rally from the Norfolk offense. Chad Huffman and Dean Green were the heavy lifters for Toledo, collecting four hits apiece. Green homered and drove in four runs, and all four of Huffman’s hits went for extra bases. Alex Presley also jumped into the fray with an RBI single in the sixth. Toledo starter Warwick Saupold was tagged for four runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, but Chad Bell and Preston Guilmet held the Tides scoreless for 3 2/3 innings.

Huffman: 4-4, 3 2B, 3B, 2 R, RBI, BB
Green: 4-4, HR, R, 4 RBI
Jones: 2-5, 2 SO
Presley: 1-4, RBI, BB, SO
Saupold: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

Coming up next: Matt Crouse (4-4, 2.98 ERA) will take the mound for Toledo against Norfolk’s Joe Gunkel (5-8, 4.11 ERA) on Friday.

Bowie Baysox 5, Erie SeaWolves 4 (box)

Erie starter Myles Jaye had a rough day, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits in four innings of work. This snapped his recent hot streak and handed him his seventh loss of the season, tied for the team-high. The SeaWolves offense tried to make things interesting in the later innings when Gustavo Nunez hit a two-run homer, but they left runners stranded in scoring position in three of the final four innings.

Nunez: 2-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, SO
Bernard: 2-5, 2B, 2 R, SO
Ficociello: 2-4, 2B, RBI
Gose: 1-3, BB, SO, SB
Jaye (L): 4.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 4 SO

Coming up next: David Martinez (1-1, 0.93 ERA) will start against Bowie’s Brandon Barker (4-4, 4.17 ERA) on Friday as the SeaWolves and Baysox continue their series.

St. Lucie Mets 3, Lakeland Flying Tigers 1 (box)

The Mets scored a trio of runs off Lakeland starter Tyler Alexander in the third inning, and that was all the offense they would need to pick up win number 51 on the season. St. Lucie starter Andrew Barbosa only went 4 1/3 innings, but struck out eight while allowing just three hits. The Lakeland offense only managed six hits in all, and struck out 12 times to zero walks. Kade Scivicque had three of his team’s six hits, and Drew Longley’s solo homer in the eighth provided their lone run.

Scivicque: 3-4, SO
Longley: 1-3, HR, R, RBI, SO
Alexander (L): 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 7 SO
Labourt: 3.0 IP, H, 0 ER, BB, 3 SO

Coming up next: A.J. Ladwig (9-7, 3.82 ERA) aims for his 10th win of the season on Friday against St. Lucie starter Chris Flexen (6-9, 3.64 ERA).

West Michigan Whitecaps 6, Peoria Chiefs 4 (box)

The Whitecaps jumped out to an early 6-0 lead and their pitching staff kept the Peoria offense off the board in the final two innings to clinch a win. Brett Pirtle had three hits for West Michigan, and Will Maddox added a pair of hits. Five different players drove in runs for the Whitecaps, who had 12 hits in all. Eudis Idrogo picked up the win after falling just short of a quality start, with three runs allowed in 5 2/3 innings.

Pirtle: 3-4, R, RBI, SO
Maddox: 2-3, R, SO
Navarro: 2-4, R, RBI
Hill: 1-5, RBI, 2 SO
Idrogo (W): 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 SO

Coming up next: Beau Burrows (5-4, 3.74 ERA) will start against Derian Gonzalez (4-0, 2.77 ERA) and the Chiefs on Friday at Fifth Third Ballpark.

West Virginia Black Bears 7, Connecticut Tigers 1 (box)

Not a lot went right for the Tigers in this game. Locke St. John had a decent outing, allowing two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, but he allowed eight hits. The defense committed three errors, adding two unearned runs to St. John’s ledger. The offense collected just five hits, and their lone run came courtesy of catcher Austin Athmann, who hit a solo homer in the third. Bryan Garcia had a solid outing in relief, but Emanuel Chavez gave up three runs in the eighth.

Salter: 2-3
Athmann: 1-3, HR, R, RBI, SO
St. John (L): 5.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R (2 ER), BB, 3 SO
Garcia: 1.2 IP, H, 0 ER, SO

Coming up next: Gregory Soto (0-1, 4.03 ERA) will start for the Tigers against West Virginia starter (and unsigned 2015 Tigers draft pick) Cam Vieaux (0-1, 3.76 ERA) on Friday.