Jack Penney powers Whitecaps over the Lugnuts on Sunday; Matt Vierling returns to the outfield for Toledo

Scores, news, and notes from the Detroit Tigers farm system for Sunday, May 11, 2025.

Iowa Cubs 3, Toledo Mud Hens 1 (box )

The pitching, in particular another fine outing from Wilkel Hernandez, was good. The bats were ice cold. The only positive in the lineup was Matt Vierling’s return to the outfield. He played right field and got his three plate appearances in before Ryan Kreidler hit for him late in the game.

Wilkel Hernandez has been a nice story early on. With a more effective changeup, Hernandez has improved his ability to handle left-handed hitters. He blanked the Cubs for five innings in this one, scattering four hits and a walk with four strikeouts as he cut his ERA to 2.45 on the year.

The Hens gave him a slim lead to work with in the bottom of the second. Brewer Hicklen reached on an error and then stole second base. A two-out knock from Andrew Navigato made it 1-0 Hens. However, Cubs starter Peter Solomon, followed by three no-hit innings from Keegan Thompson, absolutely smothered the Hens offense the rest of the game.

Ricky Vanasco took over in the sixth, and after allowing a leadoff walk and a single, he struck out the next three in order to escape a jam of his own making. It wouldn’t work out that way in the seventh, as the right-hander gave up a double and then a two-run homer. PJ Poulin shut things down the rest of the way, but the Hens failed to take advantage of a leadoff walk to Manuel Margot in the bottom of the seventh, as well as two hit batters in the inning. Akil Baddoo lined into a double play, and Riley Unroe struck out to end the inning.

They never threatened again.

Navigato: 1-1, RBI

Vierling: 0-2

Hernandez: 5.0 IP, 0 R, 4 H, BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: After splitting the Cubs series, the Hens head out to Pennsylvania to battle the venerable and irritatingly named Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders starting on Tuesday night.

Altoona Curve 3, Erie SeaWolves 2 (box )

After winning the first four over the Curve, the SeaWolves couldn’t close the deal, dropping both games on the weekend.

Troy Melton had a classic case of the nibbles and didn’t last more than an inning because of the Detroit Tigers limits on pitches in a single inning. The right-hander got ahead of multiple hitters in the first, and repeatedly let them back into the count. He struck out the first hitter of the game, then allowed a single, a walk, and then a double steal. Jack Brannigan doubled in both runs. Melton carved up the next hitter, but a solid single scored Brannigan before Melton could close out the inning, and it took him 34 pitches to do so.

Lefty Drew Sommers took over from there, and he, Matt Merrill, and Yosber Sanchez each fired a pair of scoreless innings to keep the SeaWolves in the game. The offense just couldn’t come up with the hits with runners in scoring position, despite eight hits and four walks tallied on the day.

A single, a catcher’s interference call, and then two straight walks plated their first run in the bottom of the second. In the fifth, two more walks and singles from Trei Cruz and Justice Bigbie only led to a single run, as Trei Cruz was thrown out trying to score from second to end the inning.

They got at least one knock in each of the next four innings but just couldn’t string anything together.

Bigbie: 2-4, RBI, K

Anderson: 1-4, 2B, BB, K

Sanchez: 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves remain in first place, tied with Akron. They’ll head to Richmond to battle the Flying Squirrels starting on Tuesday night.

West Michigan Whitecaps 6, Lansing Lugnuts 2 (box )

The Whitecaps stormed back to take the last three games of this series to win it four games to two on Sunday. Andrew Sears led the way with a strong outing, and the bullpen continues to do really good work for manager Andrew Graham.

Sears tossed four innings of one run ball, punching out four to one walk allowed. The Hens rallied for three in the second inning when John Peck led off with a single. He rode home on Jack Penney’s second homer of the season, a slicing opposite field job that cleared the wall in the left field corner. Izaac Pacheco, still having a modestly improved season all around and looking quieter and more connected in his swing, followed Penney with a single and moved to second on a Brett Callahan ground out. Peyton Graham singled him in for a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third, Josue Briceño singled with one out and took second on a wild pitch. He was thrown out trying to score on a Peck single, but Peck wisely took second on the play and scored on a Penney single. Pacheco followed with a missile to the wall in center field for an RBI triple, and it was 5-1 Whitecaps.

Joe Adametz tossed a scoreless frame, and Preston Howey followed with two innings of his own. Haden Erbe handled the eighth and CJ Weins took the ninth, allowing the Lugnuts second run of the game.

The Caps added a run in the fifth when Briceño doubled and then took third on a Penney single. Pacheco lifted a fly ball deep enough to score the run.

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

Penney: 3-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR

Briceño: 2-4, R, 2B,

Sears: 4.0 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps are 21-12, with a two game lead in the first half standings. They travel to Fort Wayne for a six-game set with the TinCaps starting on Tuesday night.

Lakeland Flying Tigers at Bradenton Marauders (postponed)

This one was rained out and will be made up on May 31st as a doubleheader when the Flying Tigers head back to Bradenton. For now, they travel to Clearwater to tangle with the Threshers on Tuesday night.

The FCL Tigers were also off as scheduled on Sunday.