Josue Briceño shines in Erie debut, while Franyerber Montilla rakes for the Flying Tigers as the affiliates sweep on Tuesday

Scores, news, and notes from the Detroit Tigers’ farm system for Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

Toledo Mud Hens 12, Omaha Storm Chasers 8 (box )

Wilkel Hernandez threw a good game, and the offense erupted enough to hold off a late surge from the Storm Chasers on Tuesday afternoon.

The Mud Hens jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Jace Jung’s ninth homer of the year with the Hens in the top of the first. In the second, Eduardo Valencia made his presence felt in his first game after being promoted from Double-A Erie. Brewer Hicklen led off with a single, and Valencia took veteran starter Rich Hill deep to right center field for a 4-0 lead.

They weren’t done in the inning either. Hao-Yu Lee doubled with two outs and Andy Ibáñez mashed a two-run shot to left. Singles from Justyn-Henry Malloy, Jung, and Ryan Kreidler loaded the bases, and a walk to Hicklen made it 7-0. Trei Cruz, also just promoted today, struck out to strand the bases loaded.

Meanwhile, Hernandez was cruising. He no-hit the Storm Chasers for four innings before allowing a solo shot in the fifth. He walked two and struck out four on the day on nine whiffs.

Valencia singled in the fifth and road home on Tomas Nido’s second home run, so it was 9-1 after five frames. Cruz tripled and scored in the sixth, but Tyler Owens allowed a solo shot to MJ Melendez in the bottom half. 10-2.

Just when the Hens were getting very comfortable, Beau Brieske melted down in the bottom of the seventh. He allowed two homers and five earned runs total. Matt Seelinger had to get them out of the inning, and he allowed a run along the way before shutting things down in the eighth. Ryan Miller closed out the ninth.

The Hens pulled away again in the eighth when Hicklen walked and Cruz doubled him to third. A passed ball scored Hicklen and Cruz came in on a ground out from Nido to make it 12-8.

Ibanez: 3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, BB

Jung: 3-5, R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, BB, 2 K

Valencia: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, BB, K

Lee: 2-5, R, 2 2B, 2 K

Cruz: 2-5, 2 R, 2B, 3B, K

Hernandez (W, 3-4): 5.0 IP, ER, H, 2 BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: It’s an 8:05 p.m. ET start on Wednesday.

Erie SeaWolves 4, Harrisburg Senators 1 (box )

The SeaWolves welcomed in their reinforcements with a victory on Tuesday.

Garrett Burhenn allowed a run in the bottom of the first, but the offense fought right back. Josue Briceño singled in his first Double-A at-bat, and Justice Bigbie launched a two-run shot for a 2-1 lead.

In the third, Max Clark led off with a single through the right side of the infield, but was thrown out after oversliding third base on a Thayron Liranzo single. Kevin McGonigle flew out, but Max Anderson singled in Liranzo from second. Briceño smoked a double to center field to score Anderson and it was 4-1.

McGonigle singled in the fifth as all three top prospects recorded a hit in their debut, but the SeaWolves offense didn’t get much going the rest of the way.

They didn’t need to, as Burhenn was strong through five frames. Tyler Mattison spun a pair of scoreless frames, while Trevin Michael handled the eighth. Richard Guasch continued his strong run as the SeaWolves usual closer, picking up his fourth save with a pair of strikeouts in the ninth.

Briceno: 2-4, R, RBI, 2B, K

Bigbie: 1-2, R, 2 RBI, HR, 2 BB

Liranzo: 1-3, R, BB

Burhenn (W, 9-2): 5.0 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: They’ll get back at it with a 6:30 p.m. ET start on Wednesday.

West Michigan Whitecaps 5, Lake County Captains 4 (box )

The Whitecaps didn’t miss a step either, winning with the additions of Garrett Pennington and Woody Hadeen up from Lakeland today.

Rayner Castillo allowed a run in the top of the first, but the Whitecaps fought right back.

In the bottom half, John Peck and Izaac Pacheco doubled to score one run, and Pennington singled in Pacheco for a 2-1 lead.

Castillo allowed a pair of solo shots in the top of the third, but again the ‘Caps offense fought right back. Peck doubled with one out and Pacheco walked. Pennington singled in Peck, and Austin Murr walked to load the bases. Pacheco scored on an Andrew Jenkins ground out, and a wild pitch scored Pennington for a 5-3 lead.

Castillo was done after four. Carlos Lequerica handed the fifth and sixth innings, and Freddy Pacheco the seventh. Colin Fields allowed a run in the eighth that made things pretty uncomfortable, but Blair Calvo handled the ninth to collect his first save of the season.

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

Pacheco: 1-3, 2 R, RBI, 2B, BB

Pennington: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, K

Castillo: 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start time set for Wednesday in Comstock Park.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 10, Tampa Tarpons 5 (box )

The Flying Tigers’ offense carried the day in this one, pounding out 12 hits, including two homers, and walking three times.

They started quickly as Franyerber Montilla doubled with two outs in the top of the first. Stephen Hrustich singled him in for a 1-0 lead.

In the second, Carson Rucker reached on an error with two outs. Junior Tilien reached on a second straight error by Roderick Arias. Zach MacDonald stepped to the dish and launched a towering three-run shot to center field. Doubles from Montilla and Ricardo Hurtado in the third made it a 5-0 lead.

The Flying Tigers pulled away for keeps in the fifth. Jackson Strong led off by beating out an infield single and Montilla lined a triple to right field to score him. Hrustich was hit by a pitch, and Cristian Santana mashed a three-run shot for a 9-0 lead.

Zack Lee got the start, and he was effective despite not a single strikeout. Instead the Flying Tigers played very good defense in this one and carried Lee through five scoreless innings until his luck ran out in a three-run sixth.

The Flying Tigers scratched out another run in the seventh, and while Chris Williams Jr. allowed two runs in the ninth, the outcome was never in doubt.

Montilla: 3-4, 3 R, RBI, 2 2B, 3B, BB, K

MacDonald: 1-3, R, 3 RBI, HR, BB, K

Santana: 1-4, R, 3 RBI, HR, K

Tilien: 2-5, R, 2 K

Lee (W, 5-3): 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 2 BB

Coming Up Next: It’s a 5:00 p.m. ET start set for Wednesday.

FCL Tigers 10, FCL Phillies 4 (box )

SS Jose Dickson: 3-5, R, 3 RBI, 2B, K, SB

C Newremberg Rondon: 2-5, R

DH David Smith: 2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR, K, SB

RHP Wuilberth Mendez (W, 2-2): 5.0 IP, 0 R, H, BB, 5 K

Enjoy this Cris Rodriguez homer from the DSL today to wrap up the day’s action.