Kody Clemens and Daz Cameron stay hot as Matt Manning rehabs in Toledo

Toledo Mud Hens 7, Worcester Red Sox 2 (box)(Sunday)

It was a good weekend for the Hens. They welcomed in the Red Sox for six last week, and after two early losses came back to win four in a row to take the series.

Chase Anderson put together a quality start on Friday night. He allowed two runs on five hits and a walk, punching out six. Zack Short and Josh Lester powered the offense with a home run apiece, while Daz Cameron and John Valente had two hit games with a double apiece.

The Hens won 5-3 on Saturday, using a bullpen day to take down Worcester again. Nivaldo Rodriguez gave up a few runs early, though only one was earned. The Hens stormed back with a three-run seventh, and a two-run eighth to win going away. A pair of walks started things off in the seventh and Dane Myers, just promoted from Erie, came up with an opposite field double, followed by a Valente two-run single. A leadoff Kody Clemens triple in the eighth set up Daz Cameron, who singled to score Clemens, stole second, and then scored on a Ryan Lavarnway single.

On Sunday, Matt Manning made his first rehab start and had no issues. His command was still a bit erratic but he overpowered the Red Sox offense, striking out four. The fastball touched 95 mph several times, and there were a few wild swings against his curveball along the way. Manning threw 24 strikes out of 36 pitches, allowing just a single in his three innings of work.

On Sunday, the Red Sox sent former Cardinals flame-thrower Carlos Martinez to the mound after picking him up off the waiver wire from San Francisco the day before. It didn’t go well. A two-out double from Daz Cameron started things in the first. Josh Lester walked, Lavarnway singled, Jacob Robson walked, and back-to-back hits from Dustin Garneau and Jack Lopez each plated a pair of runs as the Hens scored five in the first. Martinez was knocked from the game with two outs recorded.

The Hens cruised from there, despite trading a few runs in the late innings. A pair of leadoff walks led to Toledo adding on a run in the fourth, and while the bullpen leaked a couple runs late, one a Triston Casas solo shot, this one was in the bag. Lavarnway doubled in Josh Lester in the bottom of the eighth to snuff the Red Sox’s hope of a comeback.

Daz Cameron has a 10 game hitting streak going with a homer and two doubles, while Kody Clemens has five homers and three triples in his last 12 games.

Up Next: The Hens travel to Louisville this week to take on the Bats starting Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m. EDT.

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

The SeaWolves took two of the first three in Altoona, but dropped two of three over the weekend to end with a split, including a 3-1 loss on Mother’s Day.

On Friday, the SeaWolves lost 2-1, wasting a pretty good five inning start from Austin Bergner. Bergner allowed just one run, but the SeaWolves got a solo home run from Kerry Carpenter, his fifth of the year, and no more. Dillon Dingler had two hits including a double, while Carpenter had a three-hit game in the losing effort.

On Saturday, RHP Markus Solbach gave Erie four no-hit innings with five strikeouts in his start, and his teammates took advantage. They won 2-1 on a walk-off single from Andrew Navigato. Dingler had the other RBI hit, a third inning single to score Luis Carpio.

On Sunday, Reese Olson took over after Nick Kuzia threw one inning, and Olson had some trouble, allowing a three-run fourth inning that was the difference in this one. Olson’s command just wasn’t there as he grooved too many pitches, giving up five hits and a walk, to three strikeouts. A couple of fifth inning walks led to the SeaWolves’ only run, as Navigato lifted a sacrifice fly for their only RBI in the contest. Ninth inning singles from Gage Workman and Daniel Cabrera made things interesting, but Quincy Nieporte flew out to end the game.

Up Next: The SeaWolves travel to Akron this week for six with the RubberDucks.

West Michigan Whitecaps 12, Lansing Lugnuts 1 (box)(Sunday)

The Whitecaps lost the first four of this series, but the offense erupted with big games on Saturday and Sunday to salvage a pair of wins.

On Friday, Keider Montero was lit up for four runs in four innings of work, and the Whitecaps couldn’t quite manage a comeback. Colt Keith stayed hot, however, with a three hit game including a solo shot, his second homer of the year. Bryant Packard had a single and a walk, while Wenceel Perez had a single and two walks, the ‘Caps 1-2 hitters getting on base plenty. They just couldn’t cash in the runs despite 11 hits and 10 walks in this one.

On Saturday, a four-run 10th inning carried the Whitecaps to victory. Wilmer Flores, who has been absolutely dominant to start the year, struggled in the first inning of this one, and was lifted with two runs allowed. The bullpen leaked runs all game long, but the offense was able to overcome it. Corey Joyce hit a three-run home run to pace the offense with three hits, while Packard and Keith, along with Ben Malgeri and Jose King, had two-hit games.

Finally the offense went nuts on Sunday, taking full advantage of eight walks issued by the Lugnuts to win 12-1. Jack O’Loughlin started and gave them four scoreless frames before Gio Arriera took over with two more.

Meanwhile the ‘Caps offense built a 3-0 lead. A leadoff single, a walk, and a hit batter loaded the bases in the second and the Whitecaps scored one on a Jose King ground out, squandering a good opportunity for more.

In the third, Chris Meyers homered with Keith aboard to make it 3-0. Jose King added a solo shot, his first of the year, in the seventh to make it 4-0, and the ‘Caps blew Lansing away with an eight-run ninth inning to win easily.

There were three walks and two hit batters in the ninth inning attack, with the big blows landed in the form of a two-run Colt Keith single, a two-run Wenceel Perez triple, and finally an Ulrich Bojarski grand slam that put an exclamation point on the barrage.

Up Next: The Whitecaps will welcome in the Beloit Sky Carp this week starting Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m. EDT.

Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 9, Lakeland Flying Tigers 1 (box)(Sunday)

The Flying Tigers won the first two of six with the Mighty Mussels, but a Sunday loss allowed Fort Myers to split the six-game set.

On Friday night, Lakeland lost 9-1 as well, with the bullpen crumbling late. The game marked the return of right-hander Wilkel Hernandez in a rehab assignment. He allowed a pair of first inning runs, but in his first outing since 2021 Tommy John surgery, just getting out there again was enough. Brent Hurter, a 6-foot-6 southpaw with a nasty slider drafted in the seventh round last year, struck out six in four innings after taking over, allowing one earned run. Carlos Mendoza had two hits, but otherwise the offense was pretty quiet.

The Flying Tigers won 12-7 on Saturday. Jackson Jobe’s short start went poorly as he allowed six runs, three earned, struggling with his control. Lakeland bounced back with a seven-run second inning. Jose De La Cruz’s three-run shot to right center field, started the party. A ground-rule double to score Eliezer Alfonzo from Roberto Campos wrapped up the seven-run frame. Cristian Santana and Izaac Pacheco each homered in the fourth, as the Flygers put up four more runs to pull away.

However, the offense was pretty quiet in Sunday’s 9-1 loss. Roberto Campos launched his first home run of the season in the sixth inning, but that was about it. Pacheco and Jose De La Cruz each singled in the losing effort.

Up Next: The Flying Tigers travel to St. Lucie to take on the Mets this week.