Detroit Tigers Weekly Minor League Recap: Dillon Dingler Dingers

Detroit Tigers Minor League Recap – Week 5

Lakeland Flying Tigers, 13-17, 5th (9.0 GB) in Low-A Southeast, West Division

It was an ugly week for the Flying Tigers, as they dealt with traditional rain as well as raining baseballs against first place Tampa. The Tarpons won five of six games and outscored Lakeland 54-21. It didn’t start out so lopsided, with the Flygers scratching for the win on Tuesday, but ultimately falling 5-4. Wednesday’s action was suspended by rain with the score knotted at 4, but when they resumed the game on Thursday, Lakeland was able to eke out a 7-6 win thanks to three runs in the 8th. But things started to turn sour in the second game on Thursday, when Tampa managed to scored 16 runs on just 9 hits, thanks to 15(!!) walks issued by Flying Tigers pitchers.

Friday’s game was spoiled by rain, so the clubs played twice on Saturday, and things didn’t get much better. The Tarpons took game one 12-3, blowing things open with a 9-run 5th inning that began against rehabbing starter Joey Wentz (4IP, 9H, 5ER, 2BB, 6K). Game two wasn’t quite as bad, but Tampa once again used a big inning, this time a 6-run 4th, to secure an easy 7-4 victory. Lakeland went out with a whimper on Sunday, managing just four hits in an 8-1 loss, and falling to four games under .500.

• It was just a tough week overall for the Flying Tigers. In addition to giving up 54 runs, they batted just .183 with 58 strikeouts to 17 walks.
• No player on the team managed more than four hits last week, though Dustin Garneau got his four hits in just 10 at-bats. The rehabbing catcher also walked three times, and three of his knocks went for extra bases.
• Austin Bergner gave up three runs last week to raise his season ERA to 5.14, but he remains one of the most prolific strikeout pitchers in the league. He cut down nine batters last week, and his 31.8% strikeout rate ranks 9th in the league.