Thursday's Highlights ...
DOUBLE A: Bowie 2, Erie 0
Highlights: Luke French became the second straight Erie starter to get a loss despite going seven strong innings. He allowed two runs on seven hits and three walks as the Seawolves dropped their 10th straight. French struck out three.
Winning pitcher: Chris Tillman (4-0)
Losing pitcher: Luke French (2-3)
Save: Julio Manon (12)
Not-so-fun fact: Erie managed just three hits, and none over the last six innings.
CLASS A: Fort Wayne 7, West Michigan 5
Highlights: Joe Tucker was 2-for-4 with two doubles, and RBI and a run for the Whitecaps, who for a second straight day blew a four-run lead and lost 7-5. Two Wizards runs, including the tying run, scored on balks by Whitecaps pitchers, who this year have committed 11 (one more than the previous two seasons combined).
Winning pitcher: Derek McDaid (2-0)
Losing pitcher: Wilton Garcia (1-1)
Save: Jackson Quezada (4)
Fun fact: Whitecaps outfielder Casper Wells, who was hit by a pitch four times in a single game earlier this year, was plunked in his first two plate appearances Thursday.
Wednesday's Highlights ...
TRIPLE A: Durham 14, Toledo 4
Highlights: The Bulls scored 12 runs off the bullpen -- back-to-back six-run innings in the seventh and eighth -- to hand the Mud Hens a second straight loss. Mike Hessman hit his 18th homer and Clete Thomas added his third for Toledo, which only had three hits. The Mud Hens got six strong innings from starter Chris Lambert, who allowed two runs on six hits.
Winning pitcher: Nick DeBarr (3-0)
Losing pitcher: Francis Beltran (1-2)
Fun fact: It took Hessman until June 8 last year to reach 18 home runs.
DOUBLE A: Bowie 2, Erie 1
Highlights: Luis Marte, making his Double-A debut, dazzled for eight innings, allowing a run and four hits with three walks and three strikeouts. But he didn't factor in the decision, as the Baysox pushed across a run in the ninth as a result of two Seawolves errors. It was the ninth consecutive loss for Erie, which got its lone run on Wilkin Ramirez's ninth homer.
Winning pitcher: Felix Romero (2-0)
Losing pitcher: Matt Righter (0-1)
Fun fact: Ramirez is tied with New Britain's Luke Hughes for the Eastern League homer lead.
CLASS A: Lakeland 1, Tampa 0
Highlights: Scott Sizemore's sacrifice fly in the eighth inning provided the lone run and made a winner out of Jordan Tata, who threw two hitless innings of relief. He walked one and struck out one. Tata is attempting to come back from a broken hand suffered when he punched a wall during spring training.
Winning pitcher: Jordan Tata (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Josue Selenes (0-1)
Save: Angel Castro (4)
Fun fact: The game featured just seven hits total and lasted only 2 hours, 14 minutes.
CLASS A: Fort Wayne 7, West Michigan 5
Highlights: Audy Ciriaco went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs and Kyle Peter was 2-for-5 with a triple and a run scored for the Whitecaps, who blew a four-run lead. Brandon Hamilton, selected in last June's draft, made his Whitecaps debut by throwing four hitless innings as the starter. He fanned six and walked four.
Winning pitcher: Wynn Pelzer (3-2)
Losing pitcher: Santo Mieses (1-3)
Save: Jackson Quezada (3)
Not-so-fun fact: The Whitecaps pitchers walked 11 Wizards, who won with just three hits.
Tuesday's Highlights ...
TRIPLE A: Durham 5, Toledo 3
Highlights: Michael Hollimon homered and Jeff Larish added an RBI single in the eighth inning, but it was too little, too late as the Mud Hens were held scoreless through the first seven innings. DH Jackson Melina had two hits, including a double, for Toledo.
Winning pitcher: Jeremy Cummings (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Jeremy Johnson (4-1)
Save: Grant Balfour (6)
Fun fact: It's become a story when Mike Hessman doesn't homer. He was 0-for-2 with two walks.
DOUBLE A: Bowie 5, Erie 3
Highlights: Nolan Reimold hit a two-out, two-run homer off reliever and Eastern Michigan alumnus Anthony Tomey in the bottom of the 10th inning, handing the Seawolves their eighth consecutive loss. Dusty Ryan was 2-for-5 with a homer for Erie. Wilkin Ramirez was 2-for-4 and now is hitting .322.
Winning pitcher: Jason Burch (1-1)
Losing pitcher: Anthony Tomey (2-3)
Fun fact: Starting pitcher Luis Marte, after a strong stint at West Michigan, debuts for Erie tonight.
CLASS A: Tampa 3, Lakeland 1
Highlights: Cale Iorg was 2-for-4 with a stolen base, and Ryan Strieby was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a walk but the Flying Tigers lost for just the third time this month. They managed just seven hits, all singles.
Winning pitcher: Ryan Pope (4-2)
Losing pitcher: Jonah Nickerson (3-3)
Save: Wilkins Arias (1)
Fun fact: Jonah Nickerson fell to 0-4 in road games.
CLASS A: West Michigan 11, Fort Wayne 3
Highlights: The Whitecaps sent 14 batters to the plate in the eighth inning and scored eight runs, breaking open a game that was tied at 1. Casper Wells was 4-for-5 with two homers and four RBIs, while Audy Ciriaco was 4-for-5 with a triple and two stolen bases.
Winning pitcher: Jon Kibler (3-1)
Losing pitcher: Geoff Vandel (0-1)
Fun fact: The Whitecaps tallied 20 hits in a game for the first time since Sept. 2, 2007.
Monday's Highlights ...
TRIPLE A: Toledo 6, Charlotte 5
Highlights: Dane Sardinha's homer in the top of the ninth inning capped a rally by the Mud Hens, who trailed by two entering the eighth. Mike Hessman also hit his International League-leading 17th homer. Dontrelle Willis, making his second rehab start, allowing five earned runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings. He walked three and fanned three. He threw 79 pitches (46 strikes) and picked off a runner.
Winning pitcher: Preston Larrison (2-1)
Losing pitcher: Jason Childers (1-1)
Save: Blaine Neal (13)
Fun fact: The Mud Hens hit four more homers -- the other two by Mike Hollimon and Jeff Larish.
CLASS A: Lakeland 6, Tampa 2
Highlights: The Flying Tigers scored four runs in the top of the 11th inning with just one ball leaving the infield during the "rally" -- Brandon Timm's leadoff double. Then, here's what followed: Scott Sizemore had a bunt single, Shawn Roof walked, Cale Iorg walked to force in a run, Michael Bertram reached on a force attempt (that also resulted in an error) and Ryan Strieby grounded into a double play. Bertram and Santo DeLeon each had a pair of hits, while the Lakeland bullpen combined on 3.2 innings of scoreless relief.
Winning pitcher: Angel Castro (2-1)
Losing pitcher: Edgar Soto (1-1)
Fun fact: Britton, Mich., native Duane Below got the start for the Flying Tigers and struck out 10 in 7.1 innings.
CLASS A: Fort Wayne 2, West Michigan 1
Highlights: Whitecaps starter Lauren Gagnier took a hard-luck loss, allowing just six hits and no walks in seven innings. He struck out seven. The lone blemish: Zach Brown's two-out, two-run double. West Michigan's run came on Adrian Casanova's first professional homer. Kyle Peter also was 2-for-4 for the Whitecaps.
Winning pitcher: Jeremy McBryde (3-1)
Losing pitcher: Lauren Gagnier (1-4)
Save: Jackson Quezada (2)
Fun fact: Casanova's last homer came for the Clemson Tigers in 2006, right before signing a pro contract.
'Roost, Roost, Roost' for the Home Team ...
And, umm, that's mighty impressive, considering there's a lot of competition, folks. Major league teams typically have for or more farm teams, making this (you'd assume) a study of 120-plus facilities.
For those who haven't recently wandered down to watch a Mud Hens game, "The Roost" pays homage to old Tiger Stadium, with the first couple rows overhanging fair territory in right field.
Team spokesman Jason Griffin told ESPN.com that, prior to the stadium's opening in 2002, several fan forums were held to get a good idea what the target clientele wanted in its hometown ballpark. Hence, the overhang, which features half of its seats in foul territory.
"They had a big say in how it turned out," Griffin told ESPN.
About 40 homers have landed in "The Roost," including two in the same inning by former Tigers prospect Eric Munson in the ballpark's inaugural season.
By the way, ESPN also did a major league list. Comerica Park didn't make the cut.
Whitecaps rained out ...
West Michigan's home game against Lansing today was postponed by rain and will be made up as part of a doubleheader this Friday, with the first of two seven-inning games scheduled to start at 6:35 p.m.
Also, the Whitecaps Breast Cancer Awareness Day activities -- which included players wearing pink uniform tops and several fundraisers -- has been rescheduled for May 26, when West Michigan hosts Dayton.
Sunday's Highlights ...
TRIPLE A: Charlotte 10, Toledo 6
Highlights: Michael Hollimon had a homer and three RBIs, Brent Clevlen homered and Timo Perez had two hits for the Mud Hens, who saw the Knights score four in the seventh to break open what had been a tie game.
Winning pitcher: Adam Russell (2-0)
Losing pitcher: Anastacio Martinez (0-1)
Fun fact: Yorman Bazardo got the start and went five inningss, allowing three home runs.
DOUBLE A: Harrisburg 7, Erie 6
Highlights: Wilkin Ramirez had a solo homer, a double and three RBIs but it wasn't enough for the Seawolves to avoid a seventh straight loss. Kody Kirkland a pair of singles and William Rhymes added a double and two RBIs in a game stopped by rain for 56 minutes.
Winning pitcher: Jordan Zimmerman (1-1)
Losing pitcher: Jon Connolly (0-2)
Save: Zechry Zinicola (3)
Fun fact: Three Erie relievers combined for three hitless innings.
Saturday's Highlights ...
TRIPLE A: Charlotte 4, Toledo 1
Highlights: In game one of a doubleheader, Virgil Vasquez gave up three runs in the first inning and the Mud Hens couldn't recover. Mike Hessman's homer was all the offense they could manage.
Winning pitcher: Virgil Vasquez (2-3)
Losing pitcher: Lance Broadway (5-1)
Fun fact: So, minor leaguers play seven innings in doubleheader games. Seems a little high-schoolish to me.
TRIPLE A: Toledo 5, Charlotte 3
Highlights: In the nightcap, Mike Hessman hit his 16th homer of the year, Clete Thomas added a homer and Casey Fossum won his first start of the season, allowing just on run through six innings.
Winning pitcher: Casey Fossum (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Rob Bell (1-5)
Fun fact: The Mud Hens, the class of the league when it comes to power, have 17 multi-homer games.
DOUBLE A: Harrisburg 9, Erie 0
Highlights: Ofilio Castro had a triple, two singles and four RBIs, and Justin Maxwell and Devin Ivany homered for Harrisburg, which handed Erie its sixth consecutive loss. Ben Fritz allowed eight runs in six innings.
Winning pitcher: Cory VanAllen (2-0)
Losing pitcher: Ben Fritz (1-1)
Fun fact: Erie only got one baserunner to third base, and that didn't come until the eighth inning.
CLASS A: Lakeland 6, Vero Beach 2
Highlights: James Skelton had three hits, including a two-run homer, Scott Sizemore was 2-for-5 with a double and Rick Porcello didn't allow an earned run in five innings of work. He gave up three hits and a walk while striking out one.
Winning pitcher: Rick Porcello (3-4)
Losing pitcher: Matthew Walker (0-5)
Fun fact: Porcello hasn't allowed more than three runs or five hits in any of his eight starts.
CLASS A: West Michigan 4, Lansing 2
Highlights: Casper Wells hit his second homer in as many games, Manny Miguelez allowed one run and struck out eight and the Whitecaps turned four doubles plays in a victory, the last one coming on the final play of the game.
Winning pitcher: Manny Miguelez (1-1)
Losing pitcher: Randy Boone (3-1)
Save: Noah Krol (4)
Fun fact: Noah Krol got three quick outs in the ninth a day after all four batters he faced scored.
Friday's Highlights ...
TRIPLE A: Toledo 8, Charlotte 1
Highlights: Eddie Bonine earned his seventh win in as many starts with a complete game, allowing one earned run with five strikeouts. He allowed eight hits and walked one. Mike Hessman and Jeff Larish hit back-to-back homers in the Mud Hens' three-run fifth inning, and Hessman added a solo homer two innings later.
Winning pitcher: Eddie Bonine (7-0)
Losing pitcher: Jack Egbert (0-1)
Fun fact: Hessman is 14-for-33 with six homers in his last nine games.
DOUBLE A: Harrisburg 4, Erie 3
Highlights: Mike Daniel's bases-loaded, bases-clearing triple in the top of the ninth inning handed the Seawolves a tough loss -- and the team's fifth straight. Casey Fien, looking for his second save, gave up a hit and walked two to load the bases. It cost Luke French a win after the left-hander went eight innings, allowing one run on seven hits. He walked two and struck out two.
Winning pitcher: Zechry Zinicola (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Casey Fien (1-3)
Fun fact: Wilkin Ramirez's hot streak continued as he went 2-for-5 with a solo homer.
CLASS A: Vero Beach 5, Lakeland 2
Highlights: Shawn Roof had an RBI double and the next batter, Cale Iorg, followed with an RBI single for the Flying Tigers' only two runs. Luis Marte started for Lakeland and was solid, allowing three runs on seven hits in six innings. He walked one and fanned six.
Winning pitcher: Chris Kelly (3-1)
Losing pitcher: Luis Marte (3-2)
Fun fact: Iorg had a pair of steals, giving him seven on the season.
CLASS A: Lansing 7, West Michigan 3
Highlights: The Lugnuts used two walks, a hit batsman and three hits to score five runs in the bottom of the eighth, spoiling an otherwise-solid outing by Whitecaps starter Alfredo Figaro. In the top of the ninth, Chris Carlson and Casper Wells became the first Whitecaps to hit back-to-back homers since Gorkys Hernandez and James Skelton did it last July 31.
Winning pitcher: Brad Mills (2-2)
Losing pitcher: Alfredo Figaro (4-1)
Fun fact: Figaro's Midwest League-best ERA went from 0.46 to 0.80.
Thursday's Highlights ...
TRIPLE A: Toledo 7, Lehigh Valley 3
Highlights: Mike Hessman hit his International League-leading 12th homer, a two-run shot in the sixth inning, and Erick Almonte had four RBIs, two coming on a double, as the Mud Hens won their second consecutive game against easily the worst team in the league (5-30).
Winning pitcher: Chris Lambert (5-0)
Losing pitcher: Les Walrond (0-2)
Fun fact: Nine of Hessman's 12 homers have come at cozy Fifth Third Field.
DOUBLE A: Trenton 7, Erie 2
Highlights: The Seawolves were limited to just six hits, all singles, in losing their fourh straight game. The lone bright spot: Erie's final four relievers combined for five innings of shutout ball, with Eastern Michigan alumnus Anthony Tomey (one hit, four strikeouts) leading the way.
Winning pitcher: Jason Jones (5-0)
Losing pitcher: Josh Rainwater (2-2)
Fun fact: Anthony Clagget, a reliever who went from the Tigers system to the Yankees system in the Gary Sheffield trade, threw three nearly flawless innings. He allowed just one hit while fanning one.
CLASS A: Lakeland 4, Vero Beach 3
Highlights: Michael Bertram's two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning tied it at 3, and Brennan Boesch's RBI double put Lakeland ahead to stay for good an inning later. Bertram finished with three hits, while Boesch and Pedro Cotto (RBI) each had two.
Winning pitcher: Brendan Wise (1-3)
Losing pitcher: Neal Frontz (0-1)
Save: Angel Castro (3)
Not-so-fun fact: After winning back-to-back games on the road, Lakeland now hosts Vero Beach for two.
CLASS A: West Michigan 2, Lansing 0
Highlights: Ramon Garcia gave the Whitecaps their second three-hit shutout in a week, joining Alfredo Figaro (vs. Quad Cities on Sunday). The left-hander walked only one and struck out five, while Justin Henry drove in the game's only runs with his third-inning single.
Winning pitcher: Ramon Garcia (4-3)
Losing pitcher: Nate Starner (1-4)
Not-so-fun fact: During a sixth-inning trip to the mound by Lansing pitching coach Tom Signore, a firecracker was thrown onto the field and exploded between the home-plate umpire and the Whitecaps on-deck circle. The fan repsonsible was ejected by Oldsmobile Park security.
