Mud Hens lose despite Matt Boyd’s complete game

Louisville Bats 9, Toledo Mud Hens 1 (box)

Tyler Collins and Jim Adduci each had two hit games, but otherwise, Thursday night’s performance against the Bats was forgettable. Drew VerHagen was pounded for 12 hits and six runs, four earned, in 5 ²⁄₃ innings of work. Ruben Alaniz got knocked around in relief as well, and the Mud Hens’ offense never got anything going as they fell to defeat.

Collins: 2-3, BB

VerHagen (L): 5.2 IP, 6 R, 4 ER, 12 H, 5 SO

Louisville Bats 1, Toledo Mud Hens 0 (box)

Matt Boyd was brilliant on Friday night, but once again the Mud Hens’ offense had little to offer in support. Boyd allowed a solo shot to Tampa Bay Rays’ prospect Willy Adames, but was otherwise untouchable. He allowed three hits and struck out six, going the distance in this one.

Jones: 1-4, 2B

Boyd (L): 8.0 IP, ER, 3 H, HR, 2 BB, 6 SO

Coming Up Next: After a fine first outing for Toledo, Myles Jaye (1-0, 0.00 ERA) looks to keep it going on Saturday.

Richmond Flying Squirrels 6, Erie SeaWolves 5 (box)

The SeaWolves dropped a four spot on the Squirrels in the first inning on Thursday, and added another in the third, but starter Tyler Alexander couldn’t hold it. Alexander gave back four runs in four innings of work. Victor Alcantara allowed the tying run in the sixth, while Bryan Garcia surrendered a walkoff single in the bottom of the ninth. Catcher Miguel Gonzalez paced the offense with a solo shot as part of a three hit game.

Gonzalez: 3-4, 2 R, RBI, HR

Ficociello: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, 2B, BB, SO

Alexander: 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 9 H, HR, BB, 3 SO

Erie SeaWolves 4, Harrisburg Senators 1 (box)

The SeaWolves pitching was on point Friday night, with a pair of brilliant relief outings closing the door on the Senators late. Starter Artie Lewicki went six innings, allowing just one run on four hits, striking out five. Steven Moya and Kody Eaves launched back-to-back solo shots in the fifth inning to turn the tide. The SeaWolves added two more runs, but they wouldn’t need them. Gerson Moreno struck out four in two perfect innings, while Jairo Labourt rebounded from a rough outing in his last appearance to strike out the side in the ninth for his first save. On the other side, the Senators sent former Tigers’ closer, Francisco Rodriguez, to the mound for the top of the ninth, and the SeaWolves tagged him for an insurance run.

Eaves: 2-4, R, RBI, HR, 2 SO

Lewicki (W): 6.0 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 5 SO

Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves have yet to announce for Saturday night’s game with Harrisburg.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 8, Dunedin Blue Jays 0 (box)

Sandy Baez put together a decent outing, going five scoreless innings, but the offense was the star of the show on Thursday night. Josh Lester ripped a pair of doubles, while Joey Pankake and Jose Azocar chipped in a pair of RBI each. Joe Navihon gave the Flying Tigers three strong innings of one-hit ball, while Jason Foley wrapped things up in the ninth.

Lester: 2-5, R, RBI, 2 2B, SO

Pankake: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B

Lakeland Flying Tigers 9, Daytona Tortugas 3 (box)

The Flying Tigers made it three in a row on Friday night, with the offense once again hammering the baseball all over the park. Will Maddox homered and doubled in this one out of the leadoff spot. Josh Lester, Arvicent Perez and Ariel Serrano also launched home runs to support starter Kyle Dowdy. Dowdy didn’t need much help. He spun seven shutout innings with five strikeouts, while Jeff Thompson faltered out of the pen to no negative effect on the outcome.

Lester: 2-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, 2B

Maddox: 3-5, 2 R, RBI, HR, 2B

Dowdy (W): 7.0 IP, 4 H, 5 SO

Coming Up Next: Matt Hall (6-5, 2.88 ERA) looks to shut down the Tortugas as the road series continues on Saturday evening.

West Michigan Whitecaps 3, Lansing Lugnuts 2 (box)

Gregory Soto was back to his winning ways on Thursday, but it wasn’t pretty. He punched out six, but also walked six, while managing to allow just two runs across six innings. Trent Szkutnik and Eduardo Jimenez had no issues in relief, with Jimenez earning the save. SS Anthony Pereira drilled a pair of doubles in this one, while 2B Chad Sedio tripled and drove in a pair of runs.

Sedio: 2-4, 2 RBI, 3B

Soto (W): 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 6 BB, 6 SO

West Michigan Whitecaps 6, Lake County Captains 5 (box)

Once again, the double play combo of Anthony Pereira and Chad Sedio were the stars on Friday night. They combined for four hits, two runs and three RBI, with Pereira adding a solo shot as well. Starter Spenser Watkins wasn’t very good, but limited the damage to four runs, three earned, over six innings of work.

Pereira: 2-5, R, 2 RBI, HR

Watkins (W): 6.0 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 8 H, HR, 2 SO

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps will look to make it four in a row on Saturday. No starter is yet announced.

Vermont Lake Monsters 2, Connecticut Tigers 0 (box)

Matt Manning was solid on Thursday, giving up two runs on six hits across six innings. Reliever Waldimir Pinto was particularly impressive in relief, striking out the side in the ninth. The offense had a rough go, managing just four hits, two of them off the bat of 1B Randel Alcantara.

Lowell Spinners 11, Connecticut Tigers 4 (box)

Dane Myers and Francisco German had brutal outings in this one. German allowed seven runs and only recorded one out. LF Garrett McCain had a pair of hits, scored a run and drove in one, while catcher Joey Morgan doubled, and chipped in an RBI and a run scored as well.

Coming Up Next: No starter has been announced for Saturday evening’s contest between the Tigers and the Spinners.