Bryce Rainer does damage for Lakeland; Jahmai Jones walks it off for the Hens

Scores, news, and notes from the Detroit Tigers’ farm system for Thursday, April 25, 2025.

Toledo Mud Hens 4, Omaha Storm Chasers 3 (box )

Wilkel Hernandez overpowered the Storm Chasers with a strong start, but it took a Jahmai Jones walkoff single to win again on Thursday.

Hernandez smothered the Storm Chasers for five scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits and a walk, with four strikeouts along the way. His teammates gave him a nice three-run lead in the bottom of the second. A two-out rally ignited when Ryan Kreidler, Bligh Madris, Riley Unroe, and Brian Server all singled in order to take a 3-0 lead.

The Hens bullpen couldn’t hold the lead after Hernandez departed. Brendan White and Matt Gage allowed runs as the Storm Chasers tied the game in the seventh inning. The Hens failed to score with two on in the bottom of the seventh, but PJ Poulin shut the Storm Chasers down in the top of the ninth.

Brian Serven led off the bottom half with a single and took second on a wild pitch as Brewer Hicklen walked. An Akil Baddoo grounder forced Hicklen at second, but Baddoo promptly stole second to put two in scoring position. Hao-Yu Lee laid off some good changeups and drew a walk to load the bases, and pressure to cash in was rising. Andrew Navigato struck out, but Jahmai Jones lined a game winning single to center field to send the crowd home happy.

Jones: 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 K

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

Hernandez: 5.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: With three straight victories under their belts, the Hens will look to secure a series victory on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. ET.

Harrisburg Senators 4, Erie SeaWolves 2 (box )

Jaden Hamm was knocked around in a rough third inning, and the SeaWolves offense struggled to get on track after taking the first two of this six game set.

The game was brisk and scoreless until the bottom of the third. Hamm appeared to be cruising, but he gave up a homer and then a pair of singles. Troy Watson took over and leaked a few runs and it was 4-0 Senators.

Watson settled in after finally ending the third. Matt Merrill and Tim Naughton finished the game, completely shutting down the Senators’ offense. They didn’t allow a baserunner, but a rally from the SeaWolves fell just short.

In the seventh, Eliezer Alfonzo led off with a single, and Chris Meyers doubled him in. They got one more when Roberto Campos walked in the top of the ninth and Jim Jarvis doubled him in, but the comeback attempt ended there.

Meyers: 1-4, RBI, 2B, K

Liranzo: 0-2, 2 BB

Hamm (L, 0-1): 2.1 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: First pitch on Friday night is 7:00 p.m. ET.

Dayton Dragons 2, West Michigan Whitecaps 0 (box )

Andrew Sears pitched well, but the offense just couldn’t get anything going against Dragons pitching on Thursday.

Sears handled the Dragons with five scoreless innings. He allowed just three hits and a walk, with four strikeouts. For five frames, the game proceeded really briskly without much of a threat from either team.

Finally in the sixth, the Dragons got a solo shot against Haden Erbe. Trevin Michael leaked a run in the eighth, and the ‘Caps just couldn’t buy a hit with a runner on base.

Peck: 1-3, BB, K

Sears: 5.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps look to even the series at two games apiece on Friday night at 7: 00 p.m. ET.

Bradenton Marauders 8, Lakeland Flying Tigers 6 (F/10)(box )

The kids showed out, as Bryce Rainer hit his first pro home run and Owen Hall spun a few good innings. Unfortunately the Marauders won the battle of the bullpens on Thursday.

Hall looked pretty good. He fired three scoreless one-hit innings with a walk allowed and three strikeouts. Meanwhile, Detroit Tigers 2024 first rounder Bryce Rainer cracked him first home run on a 105.4 mph, opposite field solo shot in the first inning. An attempted rally in the bottom of the third started with a Franyerber Montilla and a Rainer walk, but fizzled from there, and it would be Bradenton seizing control.

Relievers Thomas Bruss and Luke Stofel surrendered six runs, only one earned in the middle innings. Errors on Rainer and Samuel Gil contributed to the Marauders, uh, marauding. Two errors on Stofel himself cost him in the sixth.

In the bottom of the seventh, David Smith walked with one out. Montilla struck out, but Rainer smoked a ground rule double, again to the opposite field, and the Flying Tigers were in business. Ricardo Hurtado stayed hot with a ground rule double of his own to score both runs, and it was 6-3 Marauders.

Incidentally, with just 30 PA in pro ball, it’s too early to get rabidly excited about Rainer publicly. Privately I am in love. It’s been nothing but lasers to the opposite field with really hard contact for a 19-year-old from the moment we first saw him in his pro debut back in the Spring Breakout game.

In the bottom of the eighth, Samuel Gil, Jose De La Cruz, and Cristain Santana singled in order to load the bases with one out. David Smith walked to force in a run, and after the Marauders went back to the pen, Montilla walked as well. A sacrifice fly from Rainer scored Santana, and that tied the game. Unfortunately, Hurtado struck out to end the inning, but it was a 6-6 game.

Ignacio Briceno handled the final three innings for the Flying Tigers as things went into extra innings.

In the bottom of the 10th, David Smith reached and then stole second to put two runners in scoring position with one out. A Montilla ground ball saw Patrick Lee thrown out at home, and Rainer popped out. The Marauders scored two in the top of the 11th, and the Flying Tigers couldn’t match them.

Rainer: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, BB

Montilla: 1-5, RBI, BB, K, SB

Hall: 3.0 IP, 0 R, H, BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers look to earn at least a series split on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. ET.