Spencer Torkelson bashes Bats in Mud Hens sweep (2024)

Toledo Mud Hens 7, Louisville Bats 4 (Fri)(box)

Toledo Mud Hens 4, Louisville Bats 3 (Sat)(box)

Toledo Mud Hens 10, Louisville Bats 5 (Sun)(box)

The Mud Hens pretty much had their way with the Louisville Bats last week and that continued over the weekend. They won the first five straight, and then built a huge lead on Sunday and held on for the sweep to run their record to 48-53 on the year.

Friday night’s matchup was a big one for starter Brant Hurter. After struggling mightily in his Triple-A debut, Hurter hasn’t been able to seize an opportunity with the Tigers’ rotation banged up. Hopefully this outing was the start of something as the big lefty one-hit the Bats over seven innings, striking out six without a walk issued.

The Hens lineup got the scoring started in the third inning. With two outs, Akil Baddoo was hit by a pitch and Spencer Torkelson drew a walk. Jace Jung then cracked his 14th home run of the season. In the sixth, Justice Bigbie walked with one out and Riley Unroe singled him to third where he’d score on a Stephen Scott ground out. 4-0 Hens.

Dillon Dingler continued his rampage of late with a three-run shot in the seventh inning. The 108.5 mph rocket to left was Dingler’s fifth home run in his last four games.

So it was 7-0 Hens heading into the ninth. Garrett Hill, back from a lengthy rehab and progression through the system like a factory reset, took over to finish the game and instead was wild, allowing four runs before Austin Schulfer came on to get the final two outs and put this one to bed.

Dingler: 2-5, R, 2 RBI, HR

Jung: 1-2, R, 4 RBI, HR, 2 BB, K

Hurter (W, 2-4): 7.0 IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 6 K

After dominating the first four games of the set, the Hens got a really good performance from the pitching staff in a bullpen game on Saturday night.

Devin Sweet started things off and gave up a run in the first. He shut the Bats down for two more innings and then Angel Reyes followed suit with two scoreless innings before leaking a pair of runs in the sixth. As a combined start, you can do much worse than three runs in six innings.

Still, the Bats led 3-1 at that point. The Hens offense squandered a pair of walks in the first. In the second, Justice Bigbie and Riley Unroe led off with singles, getting Bigbie to third. Unroe stole second, and a Stephen Scott fly ball was deep enough for Bigbie to tag and score. That was really all they could manage as a few more minor scoring opportunities failed to go anywhere.

Jace Jung led off the bottom of the sixth with a double and never advanced. Stephen Scott doubled to lead off the seventh and Drew Maggi walked, but a pop up from Akil Baddoo, a strikeout from Spencer Torkelson and a Jung fly out stranded both runners again.

Finally, down to their final three outs, the Hens got it done. Unroe led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk and Scott and Maggi followed with singles to make it 3-2 Louisville. Baddoo and Torkelson flew out, but Jung and Dillon Dingler walked to force in the tying run. The Bats went back to their bullpen...and then issued yet another walk to Ryan Kreidler for the literal walk-off winner.

Scott: 2-3, R, RBI, 2B, K

Unroe: 1-3, R, BB, K, SB

Sweet: 3.0 IP, ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 K

On Sunday, the Hens again won pretty easily, but unlike Hurter, Ty Madden couldn’t really take advantage of the Bats lineup to get back on track, even with a huge lead.

The Hens got three singles in the bottom of the first but stranded everyone. However, the Bats wouldn’t get much further without getting clobbered. In the second inning, Riley Unroe led off with a walk, and Anthony Bemboom and Andrew Navigato singled to load the bases. Parker Meadows made his first rehab appearance, drawing a walk to force in a run. Spencer Torkelson then got a weak sinker down and in and crushed it for a grand slam.

Stephen Scott led off the third with a double and scored on a Bemboom sacrifice fly, and it was 6-0 Hens.

This didn’t help Madden much. He kept the Bats in check for four innings, but then crumbled in the fifth and sixth, allowing four runs. Sean Guenther allowed another in the sixth after taking over, and the Bats had made it a 6-5 game.

Finally in the seventh, the Hens pulled away again. Bemboom and Navigato walked to open the bottom half, and Drew Maggi sacrificed them 90 feet with a bunt. The Bats went back to the bullpen and brought in right-hander Brooks Kriske. He threw Torkelson nothing but sliders and splitters, and in a 2-2 count hung a slider thigh high, and Tork mashed that one to left center for a three-run shot. That made seven RBI on the day for him.

In the eighth, Navigato doubled in Unroe, who had singled with one out, and it was 10-5. Andrew Vasquez closed it out with two scoreless innings of work.

Torkelson: 2-4, 2 R, 7 RBI, 2 HR, BB, 2 K

Navigato: 3-4, 2 R, RBI, 2 2B, BB

Madden (W, 2-4): 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: The Hens travel to Indianapolis this week to take on the Indians.

Altoona Curve 3, Erie SeaWolves 1 (Fri)(box)

Erie SeaWolves 5, Altoona Curve 1 (Sat)(box)

Erie SeaWolves 5, Altoona Curve 2 (Sun)(box)

The SeaWolves controlled this series the whole with good pitching and timely offense. They won both game on the weekend to take the series five games to one.

On Friday night, Jackson Jobe was on the mound for the SeaWolves once again. He actually was uncharacteristically wild in this one. We’ve talked about the atrocious strike calling all year, but in this one his fastball command was off the mark quite a bit and he walked five hitters to five strikeouts collected. Still, he allowed a solo shot to Carter Bins for the only run the Curve could manage in 5 ²⁄₃ innings of work. The project to stretch him out further continued as Jobe threw 102 pitches in this one after throwing 96 last time out.

The offense had a tough day and didn’t score until the eighth. Hao-Yu Lee doubled to lead off the inning and Gage Workman singled him in to tie the game. Still, that was all they’d get, and in the top of the ninth, Jake Higginbotham allowed a pair of runs. The SeaWolves couldn’t answer back and that was that.

Mendoza: 2-4

Cruz: 2-4, 2B, K

Jobe: 5.2 IP, ER, 5 H, 5 BB, 5 K

On Saturday, lefty Carlos Pena spun a really good game and the SeaWolves led all day long.

In the bottom of the first, Carlos Mendoza led off by drawing a walk and Trei Cruz singled him to third. Gage Workman then roasted a line drive into the right field corner for a two-run triple. Workman would score on a balk, and it was 3-0 SeaWolves.

Pena allowed a run in the second inning, but otherwise cruised most of the outing. He spun 5 ²⁄₃ innings of one run ball, striking out eight against four walks.

This day would be about Gage Workman, and in the fifth he doubled with two outs. Jake Holton singled him home to make it 4-1 Erie. In the seventh, Austin Murr led off with a double, and it was Workman again, singling in the run to make it 5-1.

Workman ended up a home run shy of the cycle, while Trevin Michael was great in relief and Calvin co*ker closed out the ninth inning.

Workman: 3-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B, 3B, K, SB

Holton: 1-3, RBI, BB, K

Pena (W, 6-4): 5.2 IP, ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 8 K

On Sunday, Troy Melton spun an excellent game and the big bats were sharp.

The right-hander two-hit the Curve over six innings of scoreless work. He didn’t walk a batter and he struck out eight hitters on the day.

All the SeaWolves scoring came in the bottom of the second inning. Jake Holton singled to lead off the inning and then stole second base. Eliezer Alfonzo singled and Ben Malgeri walked to load the bases. Trei Cruz then drew a walk to force in a run. Julio E. Rodriguez struck out, and Brady Allen lifted a sac fly that made it 2-0. Carlos Mendoza then walked to re-load the bases.

Hao-Yu Lee then cleared the bases with a double off the wall in left center field to make it 5-0 Erie. Melton did the rest, with Matt Seelinger allowing two late runs, and RJ Petit collecting the save.

Lee: 2-4, 3 RBI, 2B

Alfonzo: 2-4, R, K

Melton (W, 6-5): 6.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 8 K

Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves head out to Portland to take on the Sea Dogs this week.

Lansing Lugnuts 8, West MIchigan Whitecaps 5 (Fri)(box)

West Michigan Whitecaps 7, Lansing Lugnuts 1 (Sat)(box)

West Michigan Whitecaps 11, Lansing Lugnuts 0 (Sun)(box)

After losing on Friday, the Whitecaps were down 1-3 in this home series, but they stormed back to crush the Lugnuts on Saturday and Sunday, earning a split.

On Friday, the Whitecaps got a strong outing from Colin Fields and built an early lead only to see the bullpen crumble and lose the game in the late innings.

Fields tossed five innings of one run ball with six strikeouts to keep the Lugnuts in check as the offense got out to a good start.

Luis Santana led off the second with a double and moved to third on a Luke Gold fly out. Danny Serretti walked and Patrick Lee followed with a single to score Santana.

In the third, Jim Jarvis singled and Max Anderson launched a two-run shot to center field to make it 3-0. Unfortunately, that was all they’d get for a while, and the Lugnuts took over once Fields was out of the game.

Chris Mauloni allowed a run in the sixth, and Gabriel Sequeira allowed one in the seventh, but it was Jack Anderson who got shelled for five runs in the top of the eighth. By the time the smoke cleared, it was 8-3 Lugnuts.

Josh Crouch doubled in Gold and Serretti in the bottom of the eighth, but the comeback stalled out there for an 8-5 loss.

Jarvis: 2-4, R, BB, CS

Patrick Lee: 1-4, 2 RBI, SB

Fields: 5.0 IP, ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 6 K

The Whitecaps came back on Saturday as the pitching staff dominated and the offense scored in four different innings to keep pouring it on the Lugnuts.

The scoring started in the bottom of the fourth. Eddys Leonard, still on a long progression back toward Toledo, doubled to lead off. A Kevin McGonigle ground out moved Leonard to third where a Roberto Campos sacrifice fly scored him.

In the fifth, Seth Stephenson reached on an error with two outs, and doubles from Max Clark and Max Anderson made it 3-0 ‘Caps. They loaded the bases in the sixth, and Stephenson came through with a two-run single. It was 5-0 and the pitching staff was dealing.

Joe Miller spun five scoreless innings, allowing just four baserunners. Yosber Sanchez took over for two clean innings, and while Cleiverth Perez allowed a run in the top of the eighth, that was all the Lugnuts could manage.

In the bottom of the eighth, McGonigle drew a walk to lead off and Campos singled him to second. With two outs, Bennett Lee doubled them both in and it was 7-1 for good.

Clark: 2-4, R, 2B, K

Campos: 2-3, 2 R, RBI

Miller (W, 2-2): 5.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, BB, 2 K

Austin Bergner got the start on Sunday and he was very good, blanking the Lugnuts for four innings while striking out seven without a walk allowed.

In the second inning, Luke Gold was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom half. Jim Jarvis flew out, but Patrick Lee, a very athletic center fielder with power the Tigers found in independent league ball, smoked a two-run shot to center field. Danny Serretti followed with a walk, and two batters later, Max Clark sprayed an opposite field RBI double to make it 3-0 Whitecaps.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Whitecaps blew this game wide open. Patrick Lee singled and stole second base with one out. Serretti doubled on a blooper that dropped in, with Lee holding at third. Josh Crouch singled in Lee, and Clark walked to load the bases. Seth Stephenson popped out after a Lugnuts pitching change, but Kevin McGonigle drew a walk to force in a run, and then Roberto Campos destroyed an inside fastball for a long grand slam to left field. 9-0 Whitecaps.

The Lugnuts could not escape this inning. A walk to Gold followed and Jarvis singled him to third. Patrick Lee came up to bat again in the inning and drew a walk as well. A Serretti single made it 11-0 before the Lugnuts mercifully escaped the inning.

Jaden Hamm had already started in the series, so he got an abbreviated four inning outing in relief of Bergner, and he too dominated the Lugnuts, striking out five with three hits and a walk allowed. Max Alba closed this one out.

Campos: 1-5, R, 4 RBI, HR

Serretti: 3-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B, BB

Patrick Lee: 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, BB, K, SB

Hamm (W, 4-3): 4.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps now head to Fort Wayne to take on the TinCaps this week.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 8, Bradenton Marauders 1 (Fri)(box)

Lakeland Flying Tigers 2, Bradenton Marauders 1 (Sat)(box)

Bradenton Marauders 7, Lakeland Flying Tigers 5 (Sun)(box)

The Flying Tigers won on Friday and Saturday to clinch a series victory before Bradenton won on Sunday.

On Friday, Rayner Castillo continued his outstanding campaign with five innings of one hit ball. The Marauders scratched out an unearned run in the fourth, but otherwise the big right-hander was in full control of this one.

Outfielder Brett Callahan continues to be worth keeping an eye on in his first pro season. He opened the scoring in the second inning by drawing a walk, stealing second and third, and then scoring on a balk.

In the fourth, Samuel Gil singled with one out, and Archer Brookman hammered a two-run shot at 106.2 mph to left field. So it was 3-1 Lakeland heading into the sixth when they started to pull away. Cristian Santana launched a solo shot and after David Smith was hit by a pitch, he stole second and scored on a John Peck single. 5-1 Lakeland.

Conner Holden, Thomas Bruss, and Eiker Huizi all pitched well in relief, and in the top of the ninth, the Flying Tigers added a few more runs for emphasis. Peck led off with a walk and took third as Andrew Jenkins reached on a ground ball to shortstop. Callahan doubled in Peck, and a Samuel Gil single scored Jenkins and Callahan to make it 8-1 where it ended.

Santana: 2-3, R, RBI, HR, BB

Peck: 2-3, R, RBI, BB

Castillo (W, 3-1): 5.0 IP, R, 0 ER, H, BB, 3 K

Saturday’s matchup was a tense, low scoring affair. Hayden Minton was good for Lakeland, allowing just a run in five innings of work. Brett Callanan launched a solo shot in the top of the fifth to open the scoring. That was his seventh on the year after missing some time with an injury. The Marauders tied the game in the bottom half, and this went all the way to the ninth in a 1-1 tie as both bullpens were strong.

Finally, in the top of the ninth, Eduardo Valencia reached on a two-out Marauders error that got him to second base. Jose De La Cruz pinch ran for Valencia and was wild pitched to third. Samuel Gil came through with an RBI single to take a 2-1 lead. Cam Brown took over from CJ Weins, who was excellent in two perfect innings of relief, and picked up his fourth save.

Callahan: 1-3, R, RBI, HR, BB, K

Jenkins: 2-4, 2B, K

Minton: 5.0 IP, ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 5 K

On Sunday, the Flying Tigers got a really good start from a lefty I’m really paying close attention to now, Gabriel Reyes. Unfortunately, the offense was quiet, and they wasted too many chances in this one.

Reyes allowed two hits and two walks in four scoreless innings with six strikeouts. He got no run support, however. Right-hander Duque Hebbert allowed three runs in the sixth for a 3-0 Marauders lead.

The Flying Tigers answered back in the top of the eighth. Dom Johnson led off with a single and Cristian Santana was hit by a pitch. Johnson took third on a Daneurys De La Cruz double play ball. John Peck doubled in Johnson and then Izaac Pacheco drew a walk. Andrew Jenkins singled in Peck, and Callahan singled in Pacheco to tie the game. Unfortunately that was all they could manage.

Luke Stofel and Conner Holden combined to surrender four runs in the bottom half of the eighth. The offense tried to make a comeback, scoring two runs in the top of the ninth, but they ran out of steam.

Johnson: 2-3, 2 R, BB, K, SB

Peck: 2-5, R, 2 RBI, 2B, K

Pacheco: 2-4, R, 2B, BB, K

Reyes: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K

Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers welcome in the Tampa Tarpons for six this week.