Four hit game from Max Clark leads Whitecaps over the Rattlers

Scores, news, and notes, from around the Detroit Tigers’ farm system for Thursday, May 1, 2025.

Worcester Red Sox 7, Toledo Mud Hens 4 (box )

It had to happen eventually. Lael Lockhart Jr. was knocked around on Thursday and the Red Sox put an end to the Hens reign of terror, cutting their winning streak off at eight games.

Lockhart got in trouble immediately. The southpaw walked Roman Anthony and Connor Wong to start the bottom of the first inning. Doubles from Nick Sogard and Abraham Toro made it a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third, Wong opened the inning with a solo shot, and a walk to Vaughn Grissom and a single from Sogard opened the door for more. Grissom scored on a grounder than forced Sogard at second, and it was 5-0 Red Sox. Brendan White took over to get the final out of the inning.

Meanwhile, lefty Shane Drohan was carving up the Hens lineup early on. In the fourth, they struck back. Hao-Yu Lee and Bligh Madris singled and rode home on Jahmai Jones second home run of the year, and it was 5-3 Red Sox lead.

White coughed up a run in the fifth, but in the fifth Jones led off with a single as the Red Sox went to their pen. Ryan Kreidler doubled him to third and a Riley Unroe sacrifice fly made it a 6-4 game. That was as close as the Hens would get. Matt Gage allowed a run in the bottom of the eighth, and that was that.

Lee: 2-4, R, BB

Jones: 2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, 2 K

Kreidler: 2-3, 2B, BB, K, 2 SB, CS

Lockhart (L, 0-3): 2.2 IP, 5 ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: The Hens take a 2-1 lead in the series into Friday night’s matchup at 6:05 p.m. ET.

Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Erie SeaWolves (postponed)

Rain forced the postponement of Thursday’s game in Erie. They’ll play a doubleheader on Friday with Game 1 starting at 4:35 p.m. ET.

West Michigan Whitecaps 6, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 3 (box )

Carlos Marcano had a shaky outing in this one, but Rattlers pitching handed out walks left and right and the Whitecaps took advantage.

The Whitecaps got a Max Clark single and a walk to Josue Briceño in the top of the first, but couldn’t score. Marcano immediately allowed a solo shot in the bottom half, and so the Rattlers had an early lead.

The Whitecaps came right back with two in the second. Jack Penney led off with a single, and after a strikeout and a ground out that moved him to second base, an Abel Bastidas single plated him to tie the game. Clark followed with his second single, and John Peck followed suit to drive in Bastidas. Briceño walked again as teams continue to pitch him very carefully. This is becoming a thing and has me wondering how long they can keep him in High-A. Unfortunately a Brett Callahan single ended the inning.

Marcano allowed two more in the fourth to give back the lead, and so it was 3-2 Rattlers after four innings. That ended the right-hander’s night.

In the fifth, a pair of two out walks were followed by an Archer Brookman RBI single. A wild pitch followed, and Luke Gold then drove in both runs with a hard line drive single to center field. The ‘Caps led 5-3, and they would take it all the way.

In the sixth, Clark dropped a bunt single to open the inning, and walks to Peck and Briceño loaded the bases. A wild pitch scored Clark, and Andrew Jenkins also walked to re-load the bases, but that was all they’d get.

Lefty Micah Ashman continued his dominant start to the season with two scoreless innings, and Marco Jimenez collected a six-out save.

Clark: 4-5, R

Gold: 1-4, 2 RBI

Briceño: 0-2, 3 BB

Marcano: 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 5 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps have a 2-1 lead, and they’ll match up again on Friday at 7:40 p.m. ET.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 4, Daytona Tortugas 3 (F/10)(box )

Bryce Rainer had the day off, while Owen Hall got the start in this one as the Tigers continue to keep the rookie’s outings short in his first pro season out of high school. The Detroit Tigers second round pick last summer, the 19-year-old Hall has shown flashes of really good stuff but is still pretty raw.

The Flying Tigers loaded the bases in the top of the first but failed to cash in big. Woody Hadeen led off with a single, and Franyerber Montilla drew a walk. Ricardo Hurtado was hit by a pitch, but Jackson Strong grounded into a double play that scored Hadeen. Carson Rucker flew out.

In the bottom half Hall allowed a Carlos Sanchez solo shot that tied things up at 1-1. A Hadeen throwing error allowed the next hitter to reach and a walk and a wild pitch followed as Hall struggled a bit out of the stretch. A sacrifice fly made it 2-1 Daytona before Hall wrapped up the inning. Another run came across in the second inning courtesy of a walk, a stolen base, and a single that made it 3-1 Daytona.

The Flying Tigers got a run back when Cristian Santana launched a solo shot in the fifth to make it 3-2. Meanwhile, Ronny Chalas and Luke Stofel took over from Hall, with Stofel shutting Daytona down for four scoreless innings.

Finally in the sixth the Flying Tigers caught up. Montilla drew another walk and this time he stole second base and rode home on a screaming line drive double to right from Strong. Now a 3-3 game, neither team was able to break the deadlock despite some opportunities. Ignacio Briceno took over from Stofel to shut down the Tortugas in the bottom of the ninth.

In the tenth, with Hadeen starting at second base, Montilla struck out, but Hurtado and Strong walked to load the bases. Daytona went back to the pen, but another walk followed, forcing in the eventual game winning run. Nomar Fana and Samuel Gil struck out to end the frame without being able to blow the game open.

It didn’t matter though. Briceno struck out the first hitter he faced in the bottom half. An infield single followed, but the lefty got a double play ball to wrap this one up and earn the victory.

Montilla: 1-3, R, 2 BB, K, SB

Strong: 1-2, RBI, 2B, 3 BB

Hadeen: 1-4, 2 R, BB, K

Hall: 3.0 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 33 of 60 pitches for strikes

Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers take a 2-1 series victory and a 12-12 record home for a three-game set with the Palm Beach Cardinals starting Friday night at 6:30 p.m. ET.