RJ Sales strong outing leads Lakeland to an eighth straight victory; Jace Jung homers in Mud Hens’ loss

Scores, news, and notes from around the Detroit Tigers’ farm system for Wednesday, July 23, 2025.

Indianapolis Indians 9, Toledo Mud Hens 6 (box )

Devin Smeltzer got the start in this one, and was cruising along until he was thoroughly mauled as part of a seven-run fifth inning that buried the Hens on Wednesday.

The Indians got a run in the bottom of the first, and otherwise both teams were pretty quiet until the fifth inning. Brian Serven and Akil Baddoo got them started with one-out singles. Kerry Carpenter grounded out to first, but Hao-Yu Lee came through with a two-run single. Jace Jung then launched his 10th home run of the year for the Hens, and suddenly they had a 4-1 lead.

The Indians already had four runs in when Smeltzer was pulled. Woo-Suk Go took over and immediately allowed a two-run homer to Billy Cook. A walk, a single, and a double made it 8-1 before Go escaped the inning.

Trei Cruz led off the sixth with a double and stole third base. A sacrifice fly from Baddoo scored him. In the seventh, a pair of walks set up Eduardo Valencia, who singled in Jace Jung to make it 8-6 Indy.

Alex Lange was wild in his appearance, allowing a run on two hits and a walk in the eighth and was pulled as Ryan Miller had to get the last out of the inning.

Jung: 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, 2 BB

Serven: 2-4, R, 2 K

Baddoo: 1-3, R, RBI, BB, K, SB

Smeltzer (L, 0-1): 4.1 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Thursday.

Somerset Patriots 3, Erie SeaWolves 1 (box )

Austin Bergner gave the SeaWolves a decent start, but he was outpitched by the Patriots’ Trystan Vrieling who allowed just two hits and struck out seven.

Bergner allowed a run in the first but settled in the next few innings despite issuing several walks. His pitch count climbed and he was lifted in favor of Yosber Sanchez. The right-handed reliever just hasn’t been able to get it together at the Double-A level and he was quickly knocked around for two runs in the fifth. Ryan Boyer settled things down with three strong innings, striking out six along the way.

Meanwhile, the SeaWolves only managed a pair of singles on the day until the eighth. Jake Holton and Roberto Campos led off the inning with singles. A fly out from Carlos Mendoza got Holton to third base, and a Kevin McGonigle ground out scored him.

Liranzo: 1-3, BB, K

Bergner: 4.0 IP, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:05 p.m. ET start on Thursday with the series tied at a game apiece.

West Michigan Whitecaps 9, Peoria Chiefs 4 (box )

The Whitecaps just don’t stop. They built a huge early lead and cruised to another victory on Wednesday.

Seth Stephenson got them started right out of the gate with a leadoff double and then stole third base. John Peck struck out, and Garrett Pennington was hit in the helmet by a pitch and had to leave the game. Andrew Jenkins came in to pinch run for him, and Izaac Pacheco singled in Stephenson. A ball to right field from Austin Murr was misplayed, and Jenkins and Pacheco both scored for a 3-0 lead.

They really got to work in the third. Peyton Graham led off with a double but was cut down trying to take third on a John Peck grounder. Jenkins flew out, but Pacheco doubled Peck to third. Murr doubled in Peck and Pacheco to make it 5-0. They weren’t nearly done as the two-out rally continued.

Jack Penney drew a walk and Woody Hadeen singled in Murr. Bennett Lee followed with a single to score Penney, and a Stephenson triple plated two more for a 9-0 lead.

The ‘Caps didn’t have much luck the rest of the way against the Chiefs’ bullpen. They had some scoring opportunities but couldn’t cash anything else in. Stephenson was hit in the hand by a pitch in the fifth inning and had to leave the game. There is no word on either’s status going forward yet.

Rayner Castillo got the start and was fine for four innings before giving up a pair of runs in the fifth before departing. Freddy Pacheco handled the fifth and the sixth inning without allowing a run. handled the fifth

Hard-throwing right-hander Moises Rodriguez was promoted from Lakeland up to West Michigan and debuted with a pair of innings, allowing a run on two hits. Marco Jimenez allowed a run in the ninth.

Stephenson: 2-3, R, 2 RBI, 2B, 3B, SB

Murr: 2-5, R, 2 RBI, 2 2B

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

Castillo: 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps will look to run their winning streak to six games on Thursday at 7:35 p.m. ET.

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

The Flying Tigers made it eight straight with a fine pitching performance on Wednesday.

RJ Sales got the start and the young right-hander was good yet again. He tossed five scoreless innings, striking out four against a walk and three hits allowed. Sales fastball topped out at 96 mph in this one, and he collected 10 whiffs on 73 pitches.

He was quickly working with a lead, as the Flying Tigers plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Zach MacDonald led off with a single and stole second base. Samuel Gil walked, and with two outs, Ricardo Hurtado grounded a ball to second base that was thrown away, scoring both runs.

In the sixth, three straight singles from Jackson Strong, Hurtado, and then Carson Rucker loaded the bases. A balk scored a run, though that was all they’d get. In the seventh, MacDonald singled and scored on a Gil double for a 4-0 lead.

Duque Hebbert tossed three scoreless innings of relief. Jorger Petri allowed an unearned run in the ninth due to a Rucker error.

MacDonald: 2-4, 2 R, K, SB

Gil: 1-3, R, RBI, 2B, BB, K

Sales (W, 4-3): 5.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: They’ll conclude the first half of the series in Lakeland at 5:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, switching to Fort Myers for the final three games of the series.

FCL Blue Jays 7, FCL Tigers 6 (box )

2B/SS Jude Warwick: 2-4, R, RBI, 2B, BB, K

CF Anibal Sales: 2-3, R

3B Ronny Ramirez: 2-2, R, RBI

RHP Wuilberth Mendez (L, 3-3): 2.2 IP, 6 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 2 K