The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (6-4) returned to PNC Park for game four against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (8-2) Friday night. The starting pitchers for the game were Brian Keller of the RailRiders and Cristopher Sanchez for Lehigh Valley.
IronPigs left fielder Travis Jankowski started the top of the first inning with a single. He then stole second base. Up next was center fielder Ronald Torreyes. He grounded out to second base moving Jankowski to third base.
Up next for the IronPigs was Right Fielder Micky Moniak. Moniak singled to right field that brought home Jankowski for a 1-0 lead. RailRiders pitcher Brian Keller got the last two outs to end the top of the first inning.
In the bottom of the first inning, IronPigs Cristopher Sanchez struck out RailRiders center fielder Greg Allen. Then he got second baseman Derek Dietrich to ground out for the second out. RailRiders first baseman Chris Gittens walked before Sanchez struck out right fielder Ryan LaMarre for the third out.
Lehigh Valley first baseman Darick Hall started the top of the second inning with a walk. He then advanced to second on a wild pitch. After third baseman Austin Listi struck out, catcher Edgar Cabral walked, putting runners at the corners. IronPigs second baseman Sal Gozzo was next to ground out to second base with two outs.
Lehigh Valley left fielder Travis Jankowski returned to the plate. He hit the ball that went under the glove of RailRiders shortstop Andrew Velazquez to score two runners as the IronPigs were now up 3-0. They were unable to generate any more runs in the inning.
After the IronPigs were unable to cash in with the bases loaded, the RailRiders were back up to bat in the bottom of the third inning. Lehigh Valley pitcher Cristopher Sanchez walked RailRiders left fielder Zach Zehner. Armando Alverez was up next and hit a two-run home run out to right field. The RailRiders cut the IronPigs lead 3-2.
The inning got worse for Lehigh Valley. Sanchez walked Greg Allen before a balk was called against him that moved Allen to second base. He managed to strike out Derek Dietrich for the first out. After a mound visit, Sanchez walked Chris Gittens. RailRiders right fielder Ryan LaMarre came to the plate. He singled to right field as Greg Allen scored to tie the game at three apiece.
Cristopher Sanchez got RailRiders designated hitter Socrates Brito to strike out for out number two. He initially struck out catcher Robinson Chirinos; however, the ball got away from IronPigs catcher Edgar Cabral, and Chirinos safely made it to first base. The bases were loaded for Andrew Velazquez. Sanchez walked Velazquez to score Brito for a 4-3 RailRiders lead.
The IronPigs made a pitching change, substituting Damon Jones for Sanchez. Sanchez finished the night going 2.2 innings, three hits, five earned runs, four walks, and six strikeouts.
Jones walked Zach Zehner to extend the RailRiders lead 5-3. Damon Jones was able to get Armando Alverez to line out for the third out.
Lehigh Valley’s offense went quiet for the next six innings. The RailRiders added another run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by Andrew Velazquez for a 6-3 lead.
Moving ahead to the top of the ninth inning, the RailRiders made a pitching change with Luis Garcia in for Adam Warren. Garcia struck out Ryan Cordell for the first out. IronPigs shortstop Luke Williams was up next to hit a single. Darick Hall was up next and hit a double with Williams moving to third base.
Lehigh Valley third baseman Austin Listi grounded out to score Williams to cut the lead 6-4. IronPigs catcher Edgar Cabral grounded out to shortstop Armando Alverez to end the game. The RailRiders defeated the IronPigs 6-4.
The rest of the IronPigs pitchers went six innings, two hits allowed, one run, and eight walks. The win went to RailRiders pitcher Kyle Barraclough while Cristopher Sanchez suffered the loss. Luis Garcia earned his third save of the season.
The IronPigs will send Adonis Medina (1-0, 4.50 ERA) to the mound tomorrow at 4:05 pm against RailRiders pitcher Mike Montgomery (0-1, 8.22 ERA) on MiLB.com.
