Erie SeaWolves sweep their way to second consecutive Eastern League title

Gabe Alvarez and his staff continue to win with a rotating cast.

They’ve done it again. Despite a roster decimated by injuries and the promotion of Jackson Jobe, manager Gabe Alvarez led the Erie SeaWolves to the Eastern League championship with a 3-2 victory over the Yankees ’ affiliate, the Somerset Patriots, on Tuesday evening. Like their parent club, the SeaWolves relied on a deep pen, good coaching, and creative pitching management to get here, and it carried them in the postseason as well.

The SeaWolves lost top hitting prospect Hao-Yu Lee to an injury in mid-August, just a week after slugging first baseman Jake Holton went down with a season ending injury. The loss of shortstop Trei Cruz followed, and then in short order their top two starting pitchers were gone as well. Right-hander Troy Melton, BYB’s sixth ranked prospect in the preseason, suffered an arm injury on August 28th. The final shot to the roster was Jackson Jobe’s promotion to Triple-A in mid-September. And yet Alvarez and his staff continued to get solid contributions up and down the roster in claiming their second straight Eastern League title.

Right-hander Austin Bergner got the start, and he was outstanding. Bergner won his second game of the postseason with a dominant six innings of scoreless work. He scattered just two hits and a walk in that span, striking out eight on the night.

The 27-year-old was the SeaWolves postseason MVP in my opinion. In Bergner’s two winning starts he posted 12 scoreless innings with just three hits and three walks allowed against 17 strikeouts.

Meanwhile the offense got right to work as well. With one out in the top of the first, Austin Murr drew a walk. Gage Workman struck out, but a wild pitch moved Murr to second and Chris Meyers drilled a ground ball back up the middle to score him. 1-0 Erie.

In the second, Somerset pitching came unglued as Eliezer Alfonzo and Brady Allen walked with one out, and then Carlos Mendoza was hit by a pitch. Another walk to Murr forced in a run. At that point Chris Meyers came through with another RBI single, putting the finishing touches on a fine postseason for the left fielder. Meyers had a pair of highlight reel catches to go with his strong performance at the plate in the divisional and championship series, and along with leadoff man Carlos Mendoza and Murr, helped lead the way offensively as teams worked hard to neutralize Gage Workman’s bat.

So it was 3-0, and Bergner held that lead throughout his scoreless outing. Jake Higginbotham took over in the seventh and allowed a pair of runs. Fortunately, right-hander Joel Peguero snuffed the Patriots rally and closer Tyler Owens took the lead to the house with a pair of dominant innings of relief. Owens struck out four and didn’t allow a baserunner, earning the save, and looking more and more like a viable relief option for the Tigers next season.

Congrats to Gabe Alvarez and his staff, friends of the site Greg Gania and Sam Lebowitz, and everyone in the SeaWolves’ family. Most of all, congrats to the team itself. The Eastern League has a 101 year history, and back-to-back titles is a very cool achievement.

For all of you following the minor leagues with us all season long, this is a great way to finish. Thanks for your support, your comments and contributions as we track the Tigers’ future players throughout the minor league system. We’ll be back at it next April.

Meyers: 2-4, 2 RBI, K

Hicks: 3-4

Murr: 0-3, R, RBI, 2 BB

Bergner (W, 2-0): 6.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 8 K

BOX SCORE