Tigers prospect Beau Burrows spearheads Lakeland Flying Tigers to victory

Syracuse Chiefs 1, Toledo Mud Hens 0 (box)

Mud Hens starter Chad Bell, and five different Chiefs’ pitchers, had themselves a pitching duel on Thursday. Unfortunately the Chiefs were able to manufacture a run off Bell in the first inning, and that proved to be the difference as the two staffs blanked the opposing lineups the rest of the seven-inning game. Efren Navarro and Michael Almanzar each had a pair of hits for the Mud Hens. Joe Jimenez struck out the side in the sixth to give his team one last chance to score in the top of the seventh.

Bell: (L, 0-2) 5.0 IP, ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 4 SO
Navarro: 2-3, 2B
Almanzar: 2-2, BB

Coming Up Next: The night game of Thursday’s double-header was called off because of rain. So the Mud Hens moved to Lehigh Valley for a weekend series, and promptly had Friday night’s contest postponed as well for poor field conditions. They will attempt to play a double-header on Saturday. Drew VerHagen (1-0, 1.80 ERA) gets the call in game one at 5:35 pm ET, against Lehigh Valley’s Mark Appel (0-1, 8.22 ERA). The nightcap will feature William Cuevas (1-0, 2.45 ERA) versus Ben Lively (1-1, 4.09 ERA).

Binghamton Rumble Ponies 8, Erie SeaWolves 3 (box)

The Rumble Ponies stampeded right over starter Artie Lewicki on Friday night. Lewicki surrendered six earned runs in 4 ²⁄₃ innings of work, despite punching out six hitters. Christin Stewart was most of the SeaWolves offense, going 4-for-4, and scoring two runs. Only two other SeaWolves mustered a hit against solid pitching from Binghamton. Erie drops to 7-6 on the season.

Lewicki: (L, 1-1) 4.2 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, HR, 2 BB, 6 SO
Stewart: 4-4, 2 R, 2B

Coming Up Next: After their third consecutive loss, the SeaWolves will try to right the ship on Saturday. The Rumble Ponies will saddle up—deal with it—Victor Delgado (0-2, 10.13 ERA), while the SeaWolves will send that crafty veteran, TBA, to the mound for the 4:05 pm ET start time.

Jupiter Hammerheads 6, Lakeland Flying Tigers 1 (box)

A triple sandwiched between a pair of singles put the Hammerheads up two in the third, and unfortunately the Flying Tigers’ offense continued to scuffle as they dropped this one Thursday. Apart from the aforementioned third inning, starter Matt Hall actually pitched pretty well. He struck out 11 over 5 ²⁄₃ innings, but six hits, two walks and a poorly timed wild pitch in the sixth ended his night as he would take the loss in this one. Gerson Moreno put hopes of a comeback out of reach with an ugly top of the ninth inning, allowing three more earned runs. Left fielder Quincy Latimore launched a solo shot to account for the sole Flying Tigers’ run.

Hall: (L, 1-2) 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 11 SO
Labourt: 1.0 IP, H, 2 SO
Moreno: 0.1 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, HR, 2 BB, SO

Lakeland Flying Tigers 3, Tampa Yankees 0 (box)

After a rough one Thursday, the Flying Tigers sent their ace to mound to stop a two-game skid. Beau Burrows was wholly up to the task, dominating the Yankees with seven scoreless innings. The Tigers 2015 first round pick has come out on fire this spring. He punched out eight more hitters, to just one walk on Friday, scattering four hits. 3B Zac Shepherd’s solo shot in the sixth gave the Flying Tigers more than enough cushion, as Spenser Watkins silenced the Yankees as well for a two-inning save.

Burrows, through just three starts mind you, has a 0.81 ERA, with 21 K to 5 BB, and a WHIP of 0.99 in the early going. Very positive signs.

Burrows: (W, 2-0), 7.0 IP, 4 H, BB, 8 SO
Watkins: (S, 1) 2.0 IP, H, SO
Shepherd: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR, SO

Coming Up Next: A.J. Ladwig (1-1, 1.06 ERA) will try to keep his nice start going as the Flying Tigers look to make it two in a row over the Yankees. Josh Rogers (1-1, 2.25 ERA) will go for the visitors.

Lake County Captain 2, West Michigan Whitecaps 1 (box)

Starter Eudis Idrogo was solid, giving up two runs in 5 ²⁄₃ innings of work. He collected five strikeouts, but on a night when scoring was at a premium, he took the loss on Thursday. SS Anthony Pereira had the Whitecaps lone RBI, as they couldn’t push across much offense despite racking up 11 hits in this one. Catcher Drew Longley and 3B Josh Lester each had a double and a single to their tally. Trent Szkutnik and Jason Foley were good in relief and gave them every chance, but they went squandered again and again.

Idrogo: (L, 0-1) 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 5 SO
Szkutnik: 2.1 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 SO
Longley: 2-4, R, 2B, SO
Lester: 2-4, 2B

West Michigan Whitecaps 6, Lake County Captains 2 (box)

The Whitecaps got out of the gate quickly on Friday night, scoring four over the first three innings and cruising to victory behind solid pitching. Alfred Gutierrez gave them four innings in his start, allowing one run with notching four strikeouts. Joe Navilhon took over and collected the win with three hitless innings and five punch-outs of his own. LF Danny Woodrow and CF Cam Gibson led the offense out of the 1-2 spots in the order, while 3B Josh Lester chipped in a solo home run in the winning effort.

Gutierrez: 4.0 IP, ER, 4 H, 4 SO
Gibson: 2-3, R, 2 RBI, 2B
Woodrow: 2-2, 2 R, 3B, SO

Coming Up Next: Anthony Castro (0-1, 6.43 ERA) will take the ball for the Whitecaps on Saturday. He’ll look to show better control, as walks have largely been his downfall in the early going. Lake County hasn’t announced a starter for the 4:00 pm ET matchup.