Tigers Minor League Baseball Blog

Eddie Bonine improved to 2-1 on the season with seven solid innings in the Sea Wolves 6-2 win.  He gave up one run on five hits with three strikeouts.

Brent Dlugach had a big day at the plate. He went two for four with a three run homer and two runs scored.  Jackson Mellan also had a nice game and he went two for four with a homerun, two RBIs and two runs.

Eulogio De La Cruz took a hard luck loss today as the Seawolves provided him with only two runs of support.  He gave up three runs on seven hits and he struck out ten without walking a single batter. The loss drops him to 2-2 on the season.

Erie managed just three hits and Brent Dlugach was the only Seawolf to reach base three times.  He singled, walked twice and scored a run.

Because of the rainout last night, Erie played two against Akron and each team took a game.  Erie won the first one 4-2 with a strong outing by Dallas Trahern.  The big right hander improved to an impressive 4-0 on the season and he gave up two runs on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts in six innings of work.  At the plate, Brent Dlugach went two for three and he scored two runs.

Game two didn’t go as well because Akron won 7-3.  Jair Jurrjens was hit hard and he lost his first decision of the year.  He gave up five runs on four hits and two walk with four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.  Andres Torres went one for three with both one run and one RBI.

Dallas Trahern continued his impressive start to the season with his third straight win. He gave up one run on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts in seven innings of work.

Jeff Larish doubled and scored a run in the 4-1 win.  Brent Dlugach tripled and drove in one.

The Sea Wolves not only shot themselves in the foot with five errors in their 5-1 loss to Akron, but they also just couldn’t hit the ball.  The lone run came on an RBI single by Brent Dlugach and Matthew Joyce doubled and scored a run. The only other hit was a triple by Jeffrey Larish.

Eulogio de la Cruz took the loss.  He gave up four runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts in four innings of work.

Jair Jurrjens got off to a nice start in Erie’s 6-4 win over Akron, it’s just unfortunate that he only got to throw two innings because of a rain delay.  He didn’t give up a single hit in those two inning and he struck out two.  Kyle Sleeth continued his struggles and he gave up four runs in two innings.  Matthew Rucsch picked up the win with 3 1/3 shutout innings.

Brent Dlugach led the offensive attack.  He went two for five with a double, a run and an RBI.

The Sea Wolves dropped to 1-1 with a twelve inning loss to Binghamton tonight.  Erie scored their two runs in the fourth but they didn’t score the rest of the way as they eventually gave up the lead and then lost it in extra frames.  Kody Kirkland had two singles and a run while but he made two errors while Brent Dlugach singled and scored the other run.

Jair Jurrjens made his first start of the season and he threw four shutout innings.  He gave up four hits, two walks and he struck out four.  Andrew Kown gave up the first run to Binghamton but he struck out five in just three innings.

As this Baseball America story highlights, shortstop Tony Giarratano’s shoulder injury leaves a hole in the system as far as shortstops go.  He was supposed to start the season at Toledo with Dlugach getting the start at Erie but with Giarratano down for the season. The question now becomes, with the hole at Toledo, how soon do you move up Dlugach, if at all.

In the meantime, the shortstop situation at Toledo should clear up on Monday when Jim Leyland makes his final cuts.  Your shortstop there could very well be veteran Neifi Perez if he accepts the assignment.  Stay tuned.