TMLR Recap: 6/3/25: Bryce Rainer Injured

The Tigers affiliates were off to their typical rollicking evening on Tuesday. The Mud Hens were struggling, but Erie and West Michigan continued to dominate, with big prospects performing. But a severe injury suffered by star shortstop prospect Bryce Rainer casts a pall over all other events on the night, including a walk-off win in Lakeland. Check out the game details below.

Toledo Mud Hens (Triple-A)

Final: Columbus 4, Toledo 0

Top Performers:

Gage Workman: 1-for-4, 2B, K

Justyn-Henry Malloy: 1-for-4, K

Brewer Hicklen: 1-for-4, K, R

Bligh Madris: 1-for-3, K, RBI

Pitchers:

Wilkel Hernandez: 4.2IP

Matt Seelinger: 1.1 IP BB 2K

Matt Gage: IP H K

Game Notes: This one started as a classic pitchers’ duel, though the two hurlers did it in completely different ways. The Mud Hens made MLB veteran Vince Velasquez work in a 26-pitch 1st, but he escaped unscathed. And then he set down the Hens relatively easily over the next four+ innings, allowing just two hits while striking out seith. Meanwhile, Toledo starter Wilkel Hernandez retired the first 11 Clippers he faced, but he did it by getting ground balls. And then the wheels fell off for a bit. The next four batters all reached, and Columbus took a 3-0 lead.

And it didn’t get any better from there for Toledo. The Clippers scored another run in the 5th off Hernandez. And even though Bligh Madris got the Hens on the board with a single in the 7th, Columbus came back with two runs in the bottom of the frame. The loss ends Toledo’s 8-game winning streak, and drops their record to 33-25.

Our guy Bligh puttin’ us back in this one 👆 https://t.co/4zSoUfgQ5u pic.twitter.com/99T0sX1H0Y

— Toledo Mud Hens (@MudHens) June 4, 2025

Erie SeaWolves (Double-A)

Final: Erie 8, Richmond 3

Top Performers:

Max Anderson: 1-for-5, HR(8), 2K

Thayron Liranzo: 2-for-4, HR(7), 2B, BB, 2K, 2R, 2RBI

Justice Bigbie: 2-for-2, 2BB, R, 2RBI

Roberto Campos: 2-for-4, R

Jim Jarvis:  2-for-4, 2 2B, K, R, SB(3)

Pitchers:

Austin Bergner: 3.1 IP 5H 3ER 2BB 3K

Tim Naughton: 2.2IP 2H 2K

Jordan Marks: 2IP 2H K

Richard Guasch: IP K

Game Notes: Erie wasted little time taking the lead in this one, as Carlos Mendoza singled with one out in the 1st, and Thayron Liranzo crushed a 2-run home two batters later. The SeaWolves never really looked back after that. Richmond did plate a run off Austin Bergner in the 3rd, but Erie broke the game open in their half of the inning. Max Anderson launched a 2-out solo homer to center to make it 3-1. Liranzo followed with a walk, and then four consecutive hits and an error turned it into a 7-1 game.

Bergner wasn’t particularly sharp. The Squirrels chased him from the game with two more runs in the 4th. But, as we’ve seen all year, the Erie bullpen was excellent. Tim Naughton, Jordan Marks, and Richard Guasch combined for 5.2 scoreless innings to close out the 8-3 victory. The SeaWolves move to 35-17 in the first half, but Akron won too, so they remain tied for 1st place.

Thayron Liranzo crushes a 2-run homer to deep left center to put the SeaWolves up 2-0 in the first. It’s his 7th home run of the year, and he has now homered in 3 consecutive games. @Greg_Gania calls it. pic.twitter.com/FvMhzFRDN1

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 3, 2025

West Michigan (High-A)

Final: West Michigan 9, Lake County 2

Top Performers:

Max Clark: 2-for-4, 2B, 2BB, 3R, RBI

Kevin McGonigle: 2-for-5, HR(2), K, 3RBI

Josue Briceño: 4-for-4, HR(13), 2B, BB, 2R, 3RBI

John Peck: 3-for-5, K, R, SB(9)

Pitchers:

Joe Miller: 5IP 2H ER BB 2K

Trevin Michael: 2IP H ER BB 5K

Marco Jimenez: IP 2K

Micah Ashman: IP BB K

Game Notes: Max Clark set the tone early in this one. Facing Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson, Clark hit a ground ball into shallow right center and sprinted it into a hustle double to lead off the 1st. Josue Briceño brought Clark home with a lighting bolt single to right. John Peck followed with a single, and then three walks and a sac fly made it a 3-0 game, and Wilkinson was removed from the game. Clark was a catalyst again when he walked to lead off the 2nd, and then he plated the game’s 4th run when Briceño cracked a double to left center.

Joe Miller kept the Captains off balance and held them to just one hit through four innings, but then Maick Collado led off the 5th with a solo homer. But that was the only blemish on Miller’s ledger. And then the top of West Michigan’s lineup exploded again. Clark walked, then McGonigle launched a two-run homer. Not to be outdone, Briceño followed with his 13th home run of the year to make it a 7-1 game. The Whitecaps scored twice more on a single from Clark and a McGonigle ground out. Then Briceño singled again to give him a perfect night at the plate. And he caught the whole game. Not too shabby.

Kevin McGonigle launches a 2-run homer to right to put the Whitecaps up 6-1. @wangler_nathan on the call. pic.twitter.com/onvqo3q5Db

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 4, 2025

Lakeland (Low-A)

Final: Dayton 3, Lakeland 0

Top Performers:

Franyerber Montilla: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, K, R, RBI

Jackson Strong: 1-for-4, 2B, 2K, RBI

Cristian Santana: 1-for-2, 2B, 2BB, K, RBI

Pitchers:

Zack Lee: 5IP 4H 3ER 2BB 3K

Moises Rodriguez: 2IP 3K

Ryan Harvey: 2IP 3K

Game Notes: Rain delayed this one for more than 90 minutes, and Daytona came out ready to play. Sammy Stafura led off the game with a single, stole second, moved to third on a throwing error by catcher Sergio Tapia, and scored on an Alfredo Duno single. Two more Tortugas batters crossed the plate in the top of the 1st, and the Flying Tigers were in a rut early.

But the only story that matters in this one is the potential devastating injury suffered by Bryce Rainer. Lakeland’s start shortstop reached on a force out in the 4th inning. He dove back to first on a pickoff attempt and instantly recoiled in pain with what looks like a serious arm injury. It’s a depressing turn of events on what was otherwise another fun night in the farm system. Here’s hoping for a full recovery for Rainer, no matter the timetable.

That injury seemed to kill the mood at Joker Marchant, but the Flying Tigers did eventually come back to win. It started with a 2-out single from Carson Rucker, and then a Cristian Santana double. Then Lakeland tied it in the 6th thanks to back-to-back RBI doubles from Franyerber Montilla and Jackson Strong. Special credit to starter Zack Lee, who settled down after the rough 1st inning. And Moises Rodriguez and Ryan Harvey combined for four scoreless innings of relief. That kept the score knotted at 3 until the bottom of the 9th. And that’s when Stephen Hrustich singled, moved to second on a ground out, and scored the winning run on a blooper from Sergio Tapia.

🚨Flying Tigers Walk-Off Win🚨

Sergio Tapia bloops a ball into shallow right to score Stephen Hrustich and give Lakeland a 4-3 win. They overcame a 3-0 deficit and the loss of their star player to move to 31-20 on the year. @ZachSurdenik on the call. pic.twitter.com/TAGoeAYhTA

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 4, 2025

FCL Tigers (Florida Complex League)

Final:  Phillies 4, Tigers 0

Top Performers:

Jude Warwick: 1-for-3

Javier Osorio: 1-for-3, K

Clayton Campbell: 1-for-2, K

Pitchers:

Blair Calvo (rehab): 0.2IP H 2BB 2K

Wuilberth Mendez: 5IP 8H 3ER BB 7K

Xiomer Guacache: 3IP 3H ER 2K

Game Notes: Welp, not much to talk about here. Phillies starter Ramon Marquez retired the first 10 batters he faced before Jude Warwick singled in the 4th. But Warwick was immediately erased when Jose Dickson grounded into a double play. The Tigers managed just three hits, and three other baserunners via a walk, a hit batter, and an error. The error kicked off the bottom of the 9th and put Ronald Ramirez on base, but then the rain came and any chance of a comeback was spoiled as the game was called.

Blair Calvo got the start in a rehab appearance. He picked up a pair of strikeouts, but also allowed two walks and a bunt hit before he reached his pitch limit. Wuilberth Mendez was the bulk pitcher, and he worked a clean 2nd before allowing six hits and three runs in a rough 3rd. He managed to get back on track and allowed just two hits the rest of the way. But you can’t win if you don’t score. The Tigers fall to 13-10 on the season.

DSL Tigers1 (Dominican Summer League)

Final: Tigers 7, Arizona Red 3

Top Performers:

Samuell Sanchez: 2-for-4, 2K, 2R, SB

Angel De Los Santos: 1-for-2, BB, K, R, SB

Jhonger Ochoa: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, 2K, 2R

Willian Berti: 1-for-2, BB, K, R, 2RBI

Cristian Perez: 1-for-4, HR(2), K, 4RBI

Pitchers:

Albert Ramos: 3IP 3H ER BB 7K

Andres Ortiz: 1.2 IP 2BB 2K

Game Notes: Rookie ball can be a bit ugly at times. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in a 1st inning that included one hit, two walks, two steals, and two wild pitches. The Tigers added two more runs in the 3rd thanks to hits from Angel De Los Santos, Jhonger Ochoa, and Willian Berti. But the big blow of the game belonged to Cristian Perez, who blasted a grand slam to right center. It was his 2nd home run already through two games, and the Tigers then coasted to victory.

Cristian Perez drives a grand slam to right center to put the DSL Tigs1 up 7-1. It’s his 2nd home run in as many games. pic.twitter.com/Y0mZYJl1q5

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 3, 2025

DSL Tigers2

Final: Tigers 3, Miami 1

Top Performers:

Cris Rodriguez: 1-for-4, 2K, RBI

Edgar Lugo: 1-for-3

Nelson Marin: 0-for-2, BB, K, R

Enny Rodriguez: 0-for-2, BB, R

Angel Roso: 1-for-3, 3B, R, 2RBI

Pitchers:

Carlos Rodriguez: 4IP 3H BB 5K

Yowander Mercedex: IP 2K

Game Notes: This was a 7-inning contest that saw the Tigers plate three runs in the 2nd and hold on for a close win. Nelson Marin and Enny Rodriguez walked to begin the inning, then Angel Roso hit a 2-run triple in his first professional AB. Cris Rodriguez brought Roso home two batters later, and that was it for the Tigers scoring. The pitchers handled the rest, and the DSL Tigers2 picked up their first win of the season.