Tigers prospects Beau Burrows, Alex Faedo shine in season debuts

Toledo Mud Hens 3, Louisville Bats 1 (box)

Beau Burrows struck out seven hitters across four innings in his Triple-A debut, and the Mud Hens took their third in a row over Louisville to open the season. Burrows wasn’t the most efficient on the day, needing 80 pitches to get through four frames, but he gave up just a single unearned run on two hits. Offensively, the Mud Hens were buoyed by Harold Castro and Victor Reyes, who drove in a run apiece. The Hens ran wild on Louisville’s battery, stealing four bases.

H. Castro: 2-4, R, RBI
Reyes: 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB, SO, SB
Robson: 0-1, R, 2 BB, SB
Burrows: 4.0 IP, 2 H, R (0 ER), 2 BB, 7 SO

Coming up next: The Mud Hens and bats are currently finishing up their four-game series at Fifth Third Field. Toledo is looking for the sweep, but Louisville is up 2-0 in the third inning.

Trenton Thunder 3, Erie SeaWolves 2 (F/11) (box)

Alex Faedo looked excellent in his 2019 season debut, striking out seven while allowing just two hits in six scoreless innings, but the two teams remained scoreless until the 10th inning. Trenton pushed across a run against Eduardo Jimenez, but Jake Rogers drove in a run in the bottom of the inning to send it to the 11th. A Jorge Saez home run off of Erie’s Trent Szkutnik gave Trenton a 3-1 lead, but Erie could only score one run in the bottom of the inning and dropped a 3-2 decision.

Hill: 2-5, SO, SB
Rogers: 1-4, RBI, SO
Faedo: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 7 SO

Coming up next: The SeaWolves currently trail in their rubber match against the Thunder, 2-1. They will kick off a three-game series against Altoona on Monday.

Tampa Tarpons 12, Lakeland Flying Tigers 9 (box)

Elvin Rodriguez was roughed up in his 2019 debut, allowing six runs (five earned) in 3 ¹⁄₃ innings. Reliever Brandyn Sittinger didn’t help, allowing both of Rodriguez’s inherited runners and five additional men to score in an eight run fourth inning. Lakeland struck back with seven runs of their own in the sixth, but couldn’t quite cap off the comeback. JaCoby Jones reached base four times in a rehab assignment, and recorded a pair of RBI.

Jones: 2-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SO
Policelli: 2-6, R, RBI, SO
Clemens, 1-5, 2B, R, 2 RBI, SO
Rodriguez (L): 3.1 IP, 3 H, 6 R (5 ER), 2 BB, 3 SO

Coming up next: Lakeland currently leads the series finale against Tampa 1-0 in the sixth inning. A win would move the Flygers to 3-1 on the season.

West Michigan Whitecaps 3, South Bend Cubs 1 (box)

The Whitecaps picked up their first win of the season in their first home game of 2019 behind a strong start from Carlos Guzman. The 20-year-old worked five innings, but it only took him 56 pitches to record his 15 outs. He allowed three hits and struck out two in his five scoreless frames, and did not allow a walk. Relievers Sandel de la Cruz and Angel Reyes threw two innings apiece to close out the win. Offensively, the bottom of the Whitecaps lineup carried the load. Reece Hampton, Sam McMillan, and Avery Tuck scored a run apiece and combined for four of West Michigan’s six hits. McMillan and Tuck both doubled.

Hampton: 2-3, R
McMillan: 1-3, 2B, R, RBI, SO
Tuck: 1-3, 2B, R, RBI
Guzman (W): 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 SO

Coming up next: The Whitecaps and Cubs are scoreless early on in their series finale. Gio Arriera is on the mound for West Michigan.