Toledo Mud Hens keep faint hopes alive behind Ladwig, Stewart

Toledo Mud Hens 5, Louisville Bats 2 (box)

The Mud Hens are clinging to their slim playoff hopes, and helped their cause with a 5-2 dispatching of Louisville Tuesday night on the road. Jarrod Saltalamacchia got things started for the Hens with a two-out, two-run single in the second. Christin Stewart followed up in the third with a two-out, two-run homer, his 20th of the International League season, and 22nd overall. Dawel Lugo added an insurance run in the sixth with a solo shot, his third on the year. A.J. Ladwig, back up from Erie, scattered nine hits in 5-1/3 innings, allowing just two earned runs to earn the victory. Johnny Barbato worked the ninth for his tenth save of the year in eleven chances. The win moved Toledo to 3-1/2 games back of Columbus and Indianapolis in both the division and wild card races. Tyler Alexander (3-6, 5.00 ERA) will look to keep the winning ways alive tonight.

Stewart: 1 for 4, HR, RBI, SO

Lugo: 2 for 4, 2 R, RBI

Saltalamacchia: 1 for 2, 2 RBI, BB

Robson: 0 for 4, 3 SO

Ladwig: 5-1/3 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

Akron RubberDucks 8, Erie SeaWolves 6 (box)

Alfred Gutierrez was touched for six earned runs and didn’t make it out of the second inning, and the SeaWolves’ comeback attempt came up short in an 8-6 home loss to Akron. Gutierrez worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first and retired the first two hitters in the second before it all fell apart. Six straight Ducks reached base before Gutierrez was lifted for Christian Binford, who promptly gave up a bases clearing triple.

Erie had 15 hits in the game but were just three for twelve with runners in scoring position and left ten men on base. Jake Rogers smacked his 17th home run of the year, a two-run shot in the second, and his second in as many days. Josh Lester added a solo shot, his 16th, as part of a three-run sixth. Danny Woodrow added a two-run single and had four hits on the night. Woodrow’s big game lifted his batting average to .316, which would lead the Eastern League if he had enough plate appearances to qualify. He will need 49 plate appearances in the final 13 games to meet the minimum. The SeaWolves and RubberDucks will make the two-hour trek west to play the final two games of this series in Akron. Tonight’s starter has not been formally announced, but it would be Spencer Turnbull’s turn.

Rogers: 1-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, SO

Woodrow: 4-5, 2 RBI, SB, CS

Maddox: 3-4, R, SB

Binford: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO

Daytona Tortugas 4, Lakeland Flying Tigers 2 (box)

Lakeland fans were treated to a Daniel Norris rehab appearance Tuesday night. Norris worked three-plus innings, allowing one earned run on two hits, with four strikeouts and two walks. He threw 65 pitches, 40 for strikes. The Flying Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third on a Brock Deatherage RBI single and a Daytona throwing error, but managed to get just one base runner into scoring position beyond that point. After Norris issued a lead-off walk in the fourth, he was lifted for Liarvis Breto and the Tortugas drew three more walks and a hit-by-pitch to push across two runs. Daytona tacked on one more in the fifth against Breto, who took the loss, and added an unearned run in the eighth off Burris Warner.

Evan Woodbery of MLive reported that Norris’s next rehab start will likely be in Toledo, and a decision about whether to activate him from the 60-day disabled list and pitch with the Tigers again this season has not been made yet. Eudis Idrogo (3-3, 4.48 ERA) will start for Lakeland on Wednesday night in Daytona.

Norris: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO

Sedio: 2 for 4, R, SO

Deatherage: 1 for 4, RBI, 2 SO

Dayton Dragons 7, West Michigan Whitecaps 4 (box)

The ‘Caps were tied at four entering the ninth but Dayton pieced together a three-run rally against Drew Crosby and Ethan DeCaster to put the game out of reach. West Michigan jumped out to a 2-0 lead when Brady Policelli led off the game with a triple, followed by a Wenceel Perez base hit and a bunt single by John Valente. Dayton bounced back with a pair of their own in the top of the second off starter Jesus Rodriguez. The Dragons took a 4-2 lead in the sixth but the Whitecaps responded in the bottom half with a two-run double from Chris Proctor to tie it. That score would hold up until the ninth when Dayton rallied with three singles and a throwing error by Perez. The ‘Caps loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but Dylan Rosa struck out on three pitches to end it. Brad Bass (6-7, 4.21 ERA) is tonight’s probable.

Hudson Valley Renegades 6, Connecticut Tigers 0 (box)

Connecticut’s offensive woes continued Tuesday night, as they were blanked 6-0 by Hudson Valley. The Tigers managed just three hits, drawing only one walk. Starter Alfredo Silva, in his first start since being promoted from the GCL, worked a one-two-three first but then things quickly fell apart in the second. Silva walked the first three hitters, hit the fourth, then allowed a sacrifice fly. Another walk later and Silva was relieved by Felix Viloria. Hudson Valley scored three runs in the third without tallying a single base hit. Connecticut will seek redemption Wednesday night with Gio Arriera (2-3, 3.93 ERA) slated to start.

De La Rosa: 0-4, SO

King: 1-3

Viloria: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO