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TMLR Recap 6/18: scoring is fun

By Jerry McKennan #DSL Tigers, #Erie SeaWolves, #FCL Tigers, #Lakeland Flying Tigers, #Tigers Minor League Recap, #Toledo Mud Hens, #West Michigan Whitecaps
Tigers Minor League Report

Tigers Minor League Recap – 6/18

Toledo Mud Hens (Triple-A)

Final: Rochester 6 – Toledo 10

Top Performer(s):

Jace Jung, 3B — 2-for-3, HR, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Max Clark, CF — 2-for-5, 3 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Ben Malgeri, LF — 1-for-4, RBI, BB

Sawyer Gipson-Long — 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 K. Sawyer saw his velocity and spin dip tonight, but he made it almost 6.0 IP. He was able to get a 32% Whiff% with a majority of them via the slider. 71% first pitch strikes helped him get a head of the count early and he was able to take advantage.

Game notes:

In a game that saw most of the excitement at the end, the Mud Hens were able to come out victors. Of the 16 runs scored, 11 were in the last three innings where the Mud Hens would score 8, including 5 in the 7th.

The Mud Hens would strike first with a solo HR from Jace Jung in the 2nd and then take the 2-0 lead from a Ben Malgeri single I the 3rd. The Red Wings would get one of those runs back in the 2nd on a ground out and then take the lead in the 4th on a double. The Mud Hens would then be the next score in their 5 run 7th thanks to back-to-back bases loaded walks with no outs. Max Anderson would ground out to score a 3rd and Gage Workman a sac fly to score the 4th. But the Mud Hens would load the bases again and get their 3rd bases loaded walk in the inning.

They’d score 2 more in the 8th thanks to a pair of throwing errors and a final run in the 9th on a sac fly. Rochester would continue their attempts to a comeback though with a solo HR in the 8th. They’d drive in 2 more with a single and a double in the bottom of the 9th. Ultimately it wouldn’t be enough though.

Important, non-game related news: congrats to Trei Cruz on getting the call up to the big leagues! He’s the 5th 2020 draft pick of the Tigers to make it.

Tomorrow’s projected starters:

Dylan File (4-3, 5.21 ERA) vs Andry Lara (2-4, 5.67 ERA)

Erie SeaWolves (Double-A)

Final: Harrisburg 3 – Erie 1

Top Performer(s):

Justice Bigbie, RF — 1-for-4, HR, R, RBI
Izaac Pacheco, DH — 1-for-3
John Peck, 3B — 1-for-4

Moises Rodriguez — 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. All of the pitchers did well today, Moises had the best outing of the 3. Just 2 IP, but getting 4 Ks and allowing just 2 base runners.

Game Notes:

Carlos Peña got the start today and did pretty good. He gave up 3 runs in 5.0 IP. He gave up 1 HR in the first and then a run on a pair of singles in the 4th and 5th. In the process, he got 8 Ks and did so on 78 pitches, 53 of which were for strikes. Moises Rodriguez came in and got the next 2 innings and Yosber Sanchez the final inning needed. Combined they’d walk no one and give up 8 hits, 2 of which were XBH (both off the Peña), striking out 12.

Offensively they stumbled. Just 4 base runners and the only run scored was the Justice Bigbie HR in the 7th.

Tomorrow’s projected starters:

Max Alba (0-2, 5.19 ERA) vs Alex Clemmey (2-4, 4.58 ERA)

West Michigan Whitecaps (High-A)

Final: Lansing 0 – West Michigan 16

Top Performer(s):

Garrett Pennington, 1B — 3-for-6, HR, 2B, 3 R, 5 RBI
Bryce Rainer, SS — 3-for-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI
Ricardo Hurtado, DH — 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI

Ben Jacobs — 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K. Yet another 6+ K outing for Ben Jacobs. Only 3 of his 12 outings have had fewer than 6 Ks now as he carves up the Lugnuts tonight. He’s seen his walks go up slightly with his third straight 3+ walk outing, but gave up just a single with the walks.

Game Notes:

Can the Whitecaps just play the Lugnuts? They’re now 10-3 vs them on the year as they have their biggest offensive output on the season scoring 16 runs. Garrett Pennington drove 5 of them in as he falls just a triple shy of a cycle. Bryce Rainer and Ricardo Hurtado add home runs of their own as each have multiple hits. Andrew Sojka is the only Whitecaps hitter without a hit, but every hitter either drove in a run or scored a run tonight with 6 of them doing each. Woody Hadeen would get on base 4 times via 2 singles and 2 walks and he would steal his 6th base of the season.

It’s the offensive explosion we’ve been hoping for from the Whitecaps.

Pitching side was just as incredible. Ben Jacobs was pulled after getting 4.0 IP and throwing 73 pitches and his replacement, Lucas Elissalt, would get 4.0 IP of his own and the win, his first of the season. He would also match Jacobs’ K total, but he would allow just 1 walk and 2 singles. It’s his 4th straight outing allowing 3 or fewer runs now and 5th in his last 6. Cole Waites would finish up the game getting the 9th.

Tomorrow’s projected starters:

Carlos Marcano (0-1, 3.60 ERA) vs Zane Taylor (5-3, 2.98 ERA)

Lakeland Flying Tigers (Single-A)

Final: Dunedin 3 – Lakeland 11

Top Performer(s):

Nick Dumesnil, DH — 2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
Anibal Salas, RF — 2-for-4, HR, R, 3 RBI
Beau Ankeney, LF — 3-for-5, 2B, R, RBI

Malachi Witherspoon — 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K. The mystery that is Malachi Witherspoon continues to evolve. 4 subpar starts in a row, he put together a really good outing today and even introduced the changeup. In total he was able to get 13 whiffs for a 36% Whiff%, allowed only 3 hard hit balls in his 5 innings of work, and put together a great outing.

Game Notes:

First inning saw the Dunedin hitters get a 2-out single and double to get the early 1-0 lead. It would seem like they were starting out strong. But they would go on to get just 1 walk in the next four innings of work by Malachi Witherspoon. And they wouldn’t score anymore runs until the 8th inning when they’d get a 2-run HR of of Joe Ruzicka.

Honestly though, it wouldn’t matter much as Lakeland already had a significant 9-1 lead already. It would start with Carson Rucker walk and then an Anibal Salas 2-run HR in the 2nd to get the early lead. They would really blow it open in the 6th when the first 5 batters would get singles and the 6th a walk, raising the lead to 5-1. After a pop out, Beau Ankeney and Edian Espinal would also singles with the bases loaded to score 3 more runs, making it 8-1.

They’d go on to get a bases loaded walk in the 7th for their 9th run of the game and then a 2-run shot from Nick Dumesnil would give us the final score of the game.

Tomorrow’s projected starters:
TBD vs Silvano Hechavarria (2-3, 6.75 ERA)

FCL Tigers (Rookie)

Final: FCL Blue Jays 15  – FCL Tigers 3

Top Performer(s):

Ronald Ramirez, 2B — 1-for-2, 2B, R, RBI
Santiago Pinto, LF/CF — 1-for-1, 3B, R, RBI, BB
Michael Oliveto, C — 0-for-1, 2 BB

Jack Bushell— 3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K.

Game Notes:

The biggest news for this game was Michael Oliveto’s professional debut. He would walk in his first 2 PA and strike out in his final one.

On top of the above, Cris Rodriguez would drive in the 3rd run of the day. Angel De Los Santos would get on thanks to an error in the first and steal his 12th bag of the season, he would also get caught stealing 3rd.

Tomorrow’s projected starters: TBD vs TBD

DSL Tigers (Rookie)

Final: DSL Giants Black 4 – DSL Tigers (1) 7

Top Performer(s):

Edgar Lugo, 2B — 2-for-2, 2B, HR, R, 4 RBI, BB,
Randy Santana, DH — 1-for-3, BB, 2 R, SB
Jose Ramirez, CF — 1-for-3, 2B, R, BB

Luis Villamizar — 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K.

Game Notes:

Lots of scoring early in the game, tied 4-4 after 3. Then the DSL Tigers scored 3 more in the 7th and final inning to take home the win.

No live stream of the game to make notes on, but Randy Santana continues to show off his speed with this 10th SB. Edgar Lugo hit his 1st HR, 4th XBH, on the season.

Tomorrow’s projected starters: TBD vs TBD

Final: DSL Nationals 0 – DSL Tigers (2) 6

Top Performer(s):

Manuel Bolivar, C — 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
Diego Orro, LF — 1-for-2, 2B, 2 BB, 2 SB
Wagnel Luna, 3B/SS — 0-for-1, 2 BB, R, SB

Game Notes:

Offense would come alive in the 4th and 5th innings today scoring all 6 of their runs thanks to the Orro and Bolivar doubles and some help from wild pitches and errors.

Jesus Miranda would get 2 IP and his 4th win. He had some interesting spin numbers. He was touching 90 with the fastball.

Tomorrow’s projected starters: TBD vs TBD

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By Jerry McKennan

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