Tigers Minor League Recap – 5/13

Toledo Mud Hens (Triple-A)

Final: Toledo 2 – Omaha 3

Top Performer(s):

Ben Malgeri, LF – 1-for-4, 2B, BB, SB

Max Clark, CF – 1-for-5, R, SB

Max Anderson, 2B – R, RBI, HR

Troy Melton (REHAB) – 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

Bryan Sammons – 4.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K

Game notes:

Toledo took on Omaha following a slobberknocker performed last night courtesy of the Mud Hens offense. Troy Melton made his first rehab start in Toledo and his third overall. He only threw two innings, but 54 pitches due to two walks, two hits, and a hit by pitch. He recorded a 40% whiff rate and a fastball that reached 98.7 MPH, which is encouraging as he inches his way back to Detroit from injury. The Mud Hens carried a 2-0 lead into the fifth inning thanks to the pitching staff and a solo home run from Max Anderson that left the yard at 106.7 MPH. Toledo entered the ninth inning with a 2-1 lead but was walked off by Kameron Misner. The Mud Hens are 21-20.

Tomorrow’s projected starters: Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-2, 5.40 ERA) vs TBD

Erie SeaWolves (Double-A)

Final: Richmond 6 – Erie 5

Top Performer(s):

Andrew Jenkins, 1B – 2-for-4, R

Max Burt, SS – 1-for-3 – 2 R, RBI, BB, SB

E.J. Exposito, 2B – R, 3 RBI, HR

Sean Hunley – 4 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, K

Tanner Kolhepp – 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K

Luke Taggart – 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, BB, 3 K

Game notes:

The SeaWolves faced recently acquired Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson who made his first start since being traded from Cleveland for catcher, Patrick Bailey. Erie struggled against him, only getting two hits and a hit by pitch courtesy of Chris Meyers. The SeaWolves didn’t put runs on the board until the seventh inning, but they were already down 6-0. A four-run eighth inning catapulted them into a closer ball game, especially after E.J. Exposito’s three-run, two-out home run, but failed to tie the game in the ninth. Erie falls below .500 with a record of 17-18, they’ll be back tomorrow evening.

Tomorrow’s projected starters: Darien Smith (4-0, 1.52 ERA) vs Joe Miller (0-1, 5.68 ERA)

West Michigan Whitecaps (High-A)

Final: West Michigan 3 – Great Lakes 4

Top Performer(s):

Andrew Sojka, RF – 2-for-4, 2B, BB, SB

Luke Shliger, DH – 1-for-3, R, RBI, HR

Ben Jacobs – 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K 

Carlos Lequerica – 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER

Inohan Paniagua – 2 IP, H, 0 ER, BB, 2 K

Game notes:

West Michigan faced Great Lakes this afternoon after breaking their 14-game losing streak last night. Ben Jacobs made his third start for the Whitecaps since being called up from Lakeland and he faced his first major struggle as a professional. Jacobs allowed two hits and a walk in his first inning of work but struck out the side. 33 pitches in one inning were enough for manager Rene Rivera to yank him from the ballgame. The offense struggled to gather runs for most of the game, until they scraped together two in the seventh, and a solo home run from Andrew Sojka in the eight tied the game, a 415-foot shot. West Michigan was shut down in the ninth inning; they play again tomorrow evening. 

Tomorrow’s projected starters: Lucas Elissalt (0-2, 5.96 ERA) vs Zach Root (0-1, 5.40 ERA)

Lakeland Flying Tigers (Single-A)

Final: Lakeland 8 – Clearwater 6

Top Performer(s):

Jude Warwick, DH – 2-for-6, RBI, SB

Jordan Yost, SS – 2-for-5, 2 R

Jesus Pinto, CF – 3-for-4, RBI, 2B, BB 

Zach MacDonald, LF – 2-for-5, R, RBI

Carson Rucker, 3B – 2-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR

Cash Kuiper – 4 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 3 K

Jose Guzman – 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K, Save

Game notes:

Cash Kuiper stepped on the mound following his dazzling start last Wednesday. He didn’t get as many whiffs as he did last time on the bump, but fought through four innings, and didn’t yield a baserunner via four straight balls. Onto the offense, only one player remained hitless, and everybody got on base. Carson Rucker slugged the Flying Tigers into a win, with two home runs, including a seventh inning 2-run blast that went over the left field wall at a blazing 107.4 MPH. Lakeland improves their record to 20-15 and last year’s second round pick Malachi Witherspoon takes the mound tomorrow. 

Tomorrow’s projected starters: Malachi Witherspoon (1-0, 4.35 ERA) vs Tanner Gresham (0-2, 1.59 ERA)

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