Flying Tigers take down Fort Myers to earn a postseason berth

Scores, news, and notes, from around the Detroit Tigers’ farm system for September 6-8, 2024.

Toledo Mud Hens 13, Indianapolis Indians 9 (Fri)(box )

Indianapolis Indians 9, Toledo Mud Hens 4 (Sat)(box )

Indianapolis Indians 9, Toledo Mud Hens 7 (Sun)(box )

This series didn’t turn out too well for the Hens as they dropped the final two games to lose it four games to two, but they did acquire a new feature attraction as Jackson Jobe will make his first Triple-A start this week on the road against the Omaha Storm Chasers.

On Friday, Lael Lockhart Jr. threw a great game and the Hens bashed three home runs and 16 hits overall to run away with this one. An absolute debacle of a ninth inning in which Andrew Vasquez was charged for seven runs was the only reason this looks like anything other than a blowout.

Lockhart went 6 ²⁄₃ innings, allowing just one run in the seventh inning, and struck out seven on the night.

Andrew Navigato launched a two-run shot with Ryan Vilade aboard in the first. Vilade then doubled in Justice Bigbie and Riley Unroe in the second inning. They went on to score in all eight innings. The fifth was the biggest, as Navigato led off with a single, moved to third on a Bigbie single, and then they both scored on a Stephen Scott triple. Scott would eventually score as well.

Ryan Vilade and Bligh Madris added late solo shots to build a 13-1 lead before the Vasquez calamity almost put the game’s outcome in doubt. PJ Poulin took over but struggled as well before finally putting a bow on this one.

Vilade: 4-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 2B, HR

Bigbie: 4-4, 2 R, RBI, BB

Navigato: 3-5, 4 R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, SB

Lockhart (W, 3-7): 6.2 IP, ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 7 K

On Saturday, Troy Watson ran into an early buzzsaw, allowing a grand slam in the second inning. The Hens fought back with a three-run second inning, but the bullpen crumbled again in the middle innings. Eddys Leonard added a solo shot for the Hens in the ninth, but it was a pretty forgettable game for them.

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

Leonard: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, 2 K

Watson (L, 3-7): 1.1 IP, 5 ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 2 K

Jack Anderson and Wilmer Flores had a rough go in another bullpen game on Sunday as the Hens lost 9-7.

The Hens took an early lead when Navigato singled in Wenceel Pérez in the bottom of the first. Anderson allowed two run in the top of the second, but the Hens came back in the bottom half when Oscar Mercado doubled in Stephen Scott, and then scored on a Vilade single.

Unfortunately, Flores up and down return to action continued with a four-run third for Indy, and they ran away for keeps at that point. Leonard, finally healthy and now heating up late in the year, launched a solo shot in the third. He has three homers and three doubles in his last 10 games.

Bligh Madris cracked a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to get the Hens back into the game, but it was too late at that point.

Leonard: 2-5, R, RBI, HR, K

Madris: 1-4, R, 3 RBI, HR, BB, K

Coming Up Next: The Hens head to Nebraska to take on the Omaha Storm Chasers this week for their penultimate series of the season.

Erie SeaWolves 9, Reading Fightin Phils 3 (Fri)(box )

Erie SeaWolves 11, Reading Fightin Phils 1 (Sat)(box )

Erie SeaWolves 8, Reading Fightin Phils 5 (Sun)(box )

The SeaWolves stormed back in this series after dropping the first two games. They swept the final four and should be feeling good heading into their final series of the regular season at home against the Bowie Baysox.

It’s been tough for the SeaWolves. They secured a playoff berth in the first half, and have continued to play well in the second despite losing quite of few players. The biggest blow was losing their best hitter, Hao-Yu Lee, to a back injury. However, Trei Cruz and Troy Melton are crucial pieces for them too and now both lost to injury. The final dagger was the promotion of Jackson Jobe to Toledo. Manager Gabe Alvarez has his work cut out for him, but he does have a red-hot Gage Workman helping to carry the offense. We’ll see if the Tigers give him any help from High-A with their season now over. Jaden Hamm and reliever Yosber Sanchez would be my choices, though there’s this Max Clark fella who probably wants to keep playing as well.

On Friday, Wilkel Hernandez gave Erie a solid six innings with three runs allowed, and the offense did the rest.

The SeaWolves opened the scoring in the first when Gage Workman reached on an error, Chris Meyers doubled, and Corey Joyce knocked in Workman with a single. In the third, they started to break it open. Carlos Mendoza walked with one out and took second on a passed ball. Austin Murr struck out, but Workman singled in Mendoza and took second on the throw in. Chris Meyers walked, and a recently returned Corey Joyce mashed a three-run shot for his first of the season. 4-0 Erie.

Ben Malgeri homered to lead off the fourth, and Luis Santana followed with a double and scored on a Danny Serretti single. Hernandez allowed three runs in the middle innings, but they’d add on two runs in the eighth and the bullpen did the rest.

Joyce: 3-5, R, 4 RBI, HR, SB

Workman: 2-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 K

Malgeri: 3-5, R, RBI, HR, 2 K

Hernandez (W, 5-7): 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 5 K

Saturday’s game was a bludgeoning as Erie won 11-1. Carlos Pena gave them a solid four innings of work with just the one run allowed, with Tim Naughton getting them through the sixth.

The offense didn’t flash any power in this one. They just pounded out 10 hits and drew seven walks. Chris Meyers went 4-for-5 to lead the way, but it was a group effort as they added on runs all game long with Workman getting a day off.

Meyers: 4-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB

Alfonzo: 2-4, 3 R, RBI, BB

Pena: 4.0 IP, ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 2 K

Sunday’s game didn’t start off great as Angel Reyes allowed three early runs, but the offense took over from there.

Corey Joyce was hit by a pitch to open the second, and Liam Hicks followed with a walk. A passed ball advanced them and then Eliezer Alfonzo walked to load the bases. Brady Allen singled in a run, and a double play ball from Patrick Lee pushed across another. In the third, Gage Workman singled and later scored to tie the game 3-3.

In the fourth, Allen doubled to lead off the inning and Lee reached on an error. Carlos Mendoza doubled them both in, and Austin Murr plated Mendoza with a double of his own. It was 6-3 Erie at that point. Jake Higginbotham allowed two runs in the bottom of the fourth to get the Phils within one, but the SeaWolves added on in the seventh and eighth to pull away for good.

Workman: 3-5, R, 2 K

Mendoza: 1-5, R, 2 RBI, 2B, BB

Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves welcome in Bowie this week for the final series of the year. They’ll take on the Akron RubberDucks in the playoffs starting on Tuesday, September 17.

West Michigan Whitecaps 6, Lansing Lugnuts 5 (Fri)(box )

West Michigan Whitecaps 2, Lansing Lugnuts 1 (Sat)(box )

Lansing Lugnuts 4, West Michigan Whitecaps 2 (Sun)(box )

The Whitecaps did lose their final game of the season on Sunday, but they ended their season on a strong note with a 5-1 series victory over their rivals in Lansing. As a result they finished the 2024 season with a 68-63 record under manager Tony Cappuccilli.

On Friday, Colin Fields wrapped up a solid season with a 3.22 ERA by allowing one run in four innings of work with four strikeouts to one walk.

Luke Gold doubled in the second inning and scored on a Jim Jarvis infield single that was thrown away by the Lugnuts. In the third, Seth Stephenson led off with a single, stole his 58th bag of the season, and scored on a John Peck singled. Roberto Campos eventually singled in Peck to make it 3-1 Whitecaps.

Eiker Huizi, recently up from Lakeland, had a rough fifth inning, allowing four runs, three earned. Gold launched a solo shot in the sixth to get the Whitecaps back within a run, and in the seventh they took over.

Dom Johnson singled and stole second base top open the seventh. Stephenson singled Johnson to third, then stole second base again for number 59 on the year. Thayron Liranzo lined a two-run single into center field, and it was 6-5 Whitecaps for keeps.

Gold: 2-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B, HR

Campos: 2-4, RBI

Fields: 4.0 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 4 K

On Saturday, Joe Miller gave the Whitecaps a good outing, and Thayron Liranzo came through big in the late innings.

Miller went five innings, allowing just a run in the first. He scattered six hits and didn’t walk a batter, punching out four on the day. Erick Pinales, CJ Weins, and Yosber Sanchez handled business from there.

The Whitecaps offense couldn’t get anything going in this one either. Seth Stephenson had two singles and stole his 60th bag of the season, but the ‘Caps only managed four hits total in this one.

Fortunately, the last was a big one. Still down 1-0 in the bottom of the eighth, Max Anderson reached on an error, and Liranzo crushed his 12th home run of the season to give them a lead.

Sanchez collected his third save of the season despite allowing a single and a walk to start the top of the ninth. He showed why he’s becoming a top relief prospect for the Tigers when he went swinging strike three, pop-out, swinging strike three to shut the door.

Liranzo: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, BB

Stephenson: 2-3, SB, CS

Miller: 5.0 IP, ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 4 K

On Sunday, the Whitecaps got a fine final start from Carlos Marcano, but the bullpen cost them late as the season ended on a loss.

Marcano stretched out to six innings in this one, allowing just a run on seven hits, while punching out six.

Izaac Pacheco hit a solo shot in the second inning for an early lead. Marcano allowed his lone run in the sixth, tying the game as he exited.

Roberto Campos wrapped up a solid season in which his defense and hitting improved with a solo shot in the seventh to retake a slim one run lead. More of that, Roberto. Lifting more balls to the wall and over it is the next step for him. He made some progress this year but needs to cash in on those hangers more consistently.

Unfortunately, Eiker Huizi had another rough outing, surrendering three runs in the eighth as the Lugnuts came back to win.

Pacheco: 2-4, R, RBI, HR, K

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

Marcano: 6.0 IP, ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 6 K

Lakeland Flying Tigers 7, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 3 (Fri)(Gm1)(box )

Lakeland Flying Tigers 6, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 0 (Fri)(Gm2)(box )

Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 5, Lakeland Flying Tigers 4 (Sat)(box )

Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 9, Lakeland Flying Tigers 4 (Sun)(box )

The Flying Tigers came into Friday’s doubleheader with a half game lead in the division and four games left to play. They then proceeded to handle their business, winning both games to lock up a postseason berth. They lost on Saturday and Sunday, but it didn’t matter by then.

In Friday’s Game 1, the Tigers third round pick in July, RHP Josh Randall got the start. He promptly surrendered two runs in two innings and the Flying Tigers turned to Pedro Garcia, who gave them 4 ¹⁄₃ innings of one-run ball.

Lakeland got on the board in the bottom of the second when Eduardo Valencia singled and then scored on a Nomar Fana double.

They took the lead for good in the third when Franyerber Montilla walked to leadoff the inning and then stole second base. Zach MacDonald also drew a walk, and with one out Josue Briceño singled in Montilla. MacDonald scored on a ground out, and it was 3-2 Lakeland.

Fana singled and scored in the fourth, and then crushed a solo shot in the sixth to make it 5-2. Garcia allowed a run in the seventh, but in the bottom half the Flying Tigers got a monster shot to center field from Jose De La Cruz with Jack Penney on base to put this one away.

Fana: 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR

Garcia (W, 1-2): 4.1 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 4 K

In Game 2, Cole Patten and Andrew Sears combined for seven innings of two-hit, shutout ball to lead the Flying Tigers to the postseason. Patten struck out five without a walk in four innings of work, while Sears picked up the win with three innings with a hit and a walk allowed against two strikeouts.

Archer Brookman started the party with a solo shot to open the bottom of the second inning. Jackson Strong singled, but was forced at second on a Peyton Graham fly ball that saw Strong caught between first and second on the shallow fly. It didn’t matter as Montilla walked and David Smith doubled them both home. Jack Penney lined a two-out double to score Smith, and it was 4-0. Penney would singled in Montilla and Smith with the bases loaded in the sixth after Fana was intentionally walked, making it 6-0 where it ended.

Congrats to the Flying Tigers and manager Andrew Graham. They had the second best overall record in the league this year, so it was only fitting that they made it in despite the first and second half split standings.

Penney: 3-4, 3 RBI, 2B, K, SB

Smith: 3-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B

Patten: 4.0 IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 5 K

On Saturday after the celebration the night before, Hayden Minto had a tough outing, walking five in just 1 ²⁄₃ innings of work, allowing three runs, two earned. The Flying Tigers were behind the eight ball early, but they would rally to make a close game of it.

After Luke Stofel came in to settle things down for Minton and get them through the fourth, the offense finally got it going in the bottom half. Jose De La Cruz singled with one out and moved to second on a Fana ground out. Clayton Campbell walked, and a wild pitch advanced them 90 feet. Peyton Graham lined a two-run single to left and it was 3-2 Fort Myers. Graham then stole second and scored on a Samuel Gil single to tie the game.

Preston Howey allowed a run in the sixth however, so it was 4-3 Fort Myers going into the top of the ninth, where they added on one more run. In the bottom of the ninth, David Smith doubled and scored on a Garrett Pennington single, but that was as close as they’d get.

Pennington: 4-5, RBI, 2B, K

Graham: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, K, SB

Smith: 1-2, R, 2B, 2 BB, SB

On Sunday, a back and forth game turned into a bit of a rout late as the Flying Tigers bullpen crumbled.

David Smith and Peyton Graham homered in this one, and Lakeland had a 3-2 lead after five innings, but the Mussels scored three in the sixth, three in the eighth, and one in the ninth to pull away for good.

Strong: 2-4, 2 RBI, 2B, K, SB

Pennington: 2-4

Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers open their three game division series against Clearwater at home on Tuesday. They’ll then move to Clearwater for Game 2 on Thursday, and Game 3 on Friday night if necessary.

Arizona Fall League

The Arizona Fall League gets underway on October 8. Per Lynn Henning of the Detroit News, the Tigers are going to send Josue Briceño and Peyton Graham to play in the Fall League, which makes sense as both missed significant time with injury. It’s also a nod to how precocious Briceño is as a hitter. The 19-year-old will be a rare case of a player who hasn’t graduated from Low-A ball playing in the league. Fellow C/1B Thayron Liranzo is also expected to participate as he told Dan Hasty of the Whitecaps on Saturday.