Max Clark hits a grand slam as the Whitecaps sweep a doubleheader

Scores, news, and notes from the Detroit Tigers’ farm system for Thursday, May 22, 2025.

Toledo Mud Hens 2, Indianapolis Indians 1 (Gm1)(F/7)(box )

The Hens rallied for a comeback victory in a low scoring Game 1 on Thursday.

Austin Bergner got the start, and he gave the Hens three innings of one run ball, allowing just a Matt Gorski solo shot. Jordan Balazovic took over for two innings to get through the fifth with only one run on the board for Indy.

The offense was really quiet, but Bligh Madris led off the fifth inning with a solo shot for his third homer of the season. With one out, Ryan Kreidler was hit by a pitch and then stole second base. Stephen Scott walked, and Riley Unroe doubled in Kreidler for a 2-1 lead.

Matt Manning came on in the sixth, and continues to be much more effective in relief. He collected four straight outs, three by strikeout. He whiffed Nick Yorke with a splitter for his second strikeout, with the other two coming on called third strikes.

Matt Gage took over with one out in the seventh, and he wrapped this one up for his first save despite allowing some hard contact, including a double.

Madris; 1-2, R, RBI, HR, BB, K

Lee: 1-2, BB, SB

Bergner: 3.0 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 K

Toledo Mud Hens 5, Indianapolis Indians 0 (Gm2)(F/7)(box )

Dietrich Enns was outstanding in Game 2, and the Mud Hens swept the doubleheader to run their record to 25-23 after a rough start. Gabe Alvarez continues to do his thing.

Enns only went four innings, but he no-hit the Indians and struck out eight along the way. He racked up 15 whiffs in just 57 pitches, mostly with his fourseamer and changeup, and had Indy swinging at ghosts throughout his start.

Jahmai Jones got the offense going in the bottom of the second by leading off with a single and stealing second base. Ryan Kreidler drew a walk, and Jones advanced to third on a lineout to center from Gage Workman. Brian Serven singled in Jones, and Riley Unroe drew a walk. Austin Murr grounded into a force of Unroe at second, but Kreidler scored, and a single from Andrew Navigato plate Serven before Navigato was cut down trying to take second base. 3-0 Hens.

Workman was hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth and promptly stole second base. He scored on a Murr double at 108.9 mph to right field. Jace Jung completed the scoring by crushing a hanging slider for a solo shot to lead off the fifth.

Ricky Vanasco handled the fifth and sixth with five strikeouts, while Brendan White took the seventh to wrap this one up.

Jung: 2-3, R, RBI, HR

Murr: 2-3, 2 RBI, 2B

Enns: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, BB, 8 K

Coming Up Next: The Hens will look to make it five in a row and four straight over Indy on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. ET.

Erie SeaWolves 11, Hartford Yard Goats 2 (box )

The SeaWolves made it five straight victories with a thorough drubbing of the Yard Goats on Thursday.

RHP Joseph Montalvo’s introduction to the Double-A level has been rough, but gifted a little early run support, the 23-year-old came through with a good outing before the offense completely seized control for good.

Max Anderson got the SeaWolves started in the bottom of the first with a one out double. Thayron Liranzo grounded into a force of Anderson at third, but Jake Holton walked and a Carlos Mendoza single to right was misplayed into an error with both runners scoring on the play. Roberto Campos stepped to the dish and smoked a drive to the wall in left center field for an RBI triple, and it was 3-0 Erie.

A walk, a double, and a two-run single for the Yard Goats in the third was the blemish on Montalvo’s card. He got some help from his catcher, as Liranzo cut down Benny Montgomery trying to steal. Meanwhile, the SeaWolves came right back in the bottom half of the inning.

Liranzo walked with one out, and ground rule double from Holton was followed by a Mendoza ground out that scored Liranzo. The Goats wen to their bullpen, but the new reliever walked Roberto Campos and he then stole second base. Chris Meyers walked to load the bases, and Jim Jarvis walked to force in a run. Goats catcher Bryant Betancourt tried to pick off Campos at third as he crept well down the line, and instead threw it away, scoring Campos to make it 6-2 Erie.

They added three more in the fifth after Mendoza and Campos reached with one out and a passed ball moved them up 90 feet. Chris Meyers lifted a sac fly to score Mendoza, and Jarvis singled in Campos. Danny Serretti followed with a double to left, and Jarvis scored to make it 9-2. A Campos leadoff double in the seventh sparked a two-run inning that put this one well out of reach for Hartford.

Campos: 3-4, 3 R, RBI, 2B, 3B, BB, SB

Mendoza: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K

Jarvis: 2-3, R, 2 RBI, BB

Montalvo (W, 3-2): 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 6 K

Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves can secure a series victory on Friday night at 6:05 p.m. ET.

West Michigan Whitecaps 2, Great Lakes Loons 1 (Gm1)(F/7)(box )

The Whitecaps and Loons haven’t played much baseball this week. On Thursday, they managed to complete Game 1 of Wednesday’s doubleheader, which itself was to make up for a postponed game on Tuesday. They’ve still got five games to try to fit in but it’s going to have to wait as they currently are just scheduled to play the three regularly scheduled games from Friday to Sunday.

Josue Briceño opened the scoring yesterday with a second inning home run, his seventh on the season. That was the slugging catcher’s first plate appearance off the injured list.

Rayner Castillo got the start on Wednesday, allowing a run in the third inning before the rains suspended play. Joe Miller took over today and kept the Loons in check for four scoreless innings of work.

The Whitecaps drew six walks in this one as Loons pitching could not find the handle. Still, they couldn’t take much advantage. Finally in the sixth, Izaac Pacheco drew a leadoff walk and then advanced on a Jack Penney single. Both Patrick and Bennett Lee struck out, but Max Clark was there with an RBI single and the eventual game winning run.

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

Clark: 1-3, RBI, BB, K

Penney: 2-3, 2B, K

Miller (W, 2-1): 4.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 4 K

West Michigan Whitecaps 7, Great Lakes Loons 1 (Gm2)(F/7)(box )

Max Alba threw a good short start, and Max Clark brought the house down with a grand slam as the Whitecaps swept Thursday’s doubleheader.

Alba allowed a run in the first, but the right-hander then went on to punch out seven over four innings of work without allowing much else.

The ‘Caps had a scoring opportunity in the second when Luke Gold walked with one out, and after a Peyton Graham fly out, Archer Brookman singled Gold into scoring position. Unfortunately Max Clark struck out, but in the third the Whitecaps took over.

Kevin McGonigle drew a one out walk and John Peck singled him to second. Izaac Pacheco, who remains red hot and crushing the baseball this spring, smoked a double that the first baseman couldn’t handle and McGonigle scored. Andrew Jenkins followed with a single up the middle to score Pacheco and Jenkins, and it was 3-1 Whitecaps.

Haden Erbe took over in the fifth and pitched around a walk. In the bottom half, the Whitecaps struck again. Pacheco led off with a double, and a one out walk to Graham was followed by a Brookman single that loaded the bases. Mr. Clark, tired of hearing vague concern about his lack of pulled balls in the air, crushed a grand slam to right to make it 7-1. The long ball was Clark’s fourth of the season.

Freddy Pacheco continues to progress through his long rehab and he handled the sixth in his first outing at High-A. Carlos Lequerica closed this one out.

Clark: 1-2, R, 4 RBI, HR, 2 BB, K

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

Alba: 4.0 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 7 K

Coming Up Next: Weather permitting, they’ll get underway at 6:35 p.m. ET on Friday night.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 4, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 1 (box )

The Flying Tigers made it three straight on Thursday, as they should with Wenceel Pérez, Parker Meadows, and Matt Vierling atop the lineup. Lucas Elissalt put together a good short outing to lead the pitching staff.

The right-handed Elissalt tossed 3 ¹⁄₃ innings, allowing just one hit and one walk with six strikeouts in a scoreless outing. Scoring opened in the bottom of the third when Pérez cracked a two-run shot to right field with Enderson Delgado aboard.

Reliever Luke Stofel allowed a run in the fifth, but the Flying Tigers came right back for more in the bottom half. Samuel Gil led off with a double, and Delgado followed with a single. Pérez bounced into a double play, but Gil scored and Meadows and Vierling both walked. A sharp single from Bryce Rainer followed to score Meadows, but Vierling was cut down at the plate to end the inning.

In the sixth, Garrett Pennington reached on an error and Jackson Strong doubled, but they couldn’t score another run. Stofel pitched through the eighth and had no further troubles with Fort Myers. Ronny Chalas closed out the ninth for his second save.

Perez: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, BB, K, SB

Rainer: 1-4, RBI, 2 K

Strong: 1-3, 2B, K, SB

Stofel (W, 3-0): 4.0 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers can clinch a series victory on Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

FCL Tigers 6, FCL Yankees 4 (box )

C Enrique Jimenez: 3-4, 4 RBI, 2 2B – 1.015 OPS

Jesus Pinto: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, 2 K, SB – .650 OPS

RHP Jatnk Diaz: 3.2 IP, 4 R, 0 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K – 1.59 ERA