The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (19-22) returned to Polar Park for the series finale Sunday afternoon against the Worcester Red Sox (27-14). The IronPigs have lost three straight and 3-8 overall versus the Red Sox. The starting pitchers for the game were Adonis Medina (0-1, 5.61 ERA) for Lehigh Valley to counter Marcus Walden (0-0, 3.50 ERA) of Worcester.
At the top of the first inning, with two outs and runners on the corners, IronPigs first baseman Darick Hall singled to center field, scoring a run that put Lehigh Valley up 1-0. Lehigh Valley center fielder Scott Kingery was hit by a pitch and taken out of the game. Corbin Williams, who was up from Reading, replaced him at center field. Williams started the season in Clearwater, batting .214 with three hits, a double, and one RBI.
The Red Sox tied the game up 1-1 in the bottom of the third inning on a solo home run out towards center field by Red Sox’s first baseman Josh Ockimey.
Moving ahead to the top of the fifth inning, the IronPigs regained a 2-1 lead after Lehigh Valley right fielder Ryan Cordell smashed a solo home run out towards center field. It was Cordell’s ninth home run of the season.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, with a runner on first and two outs, Red Sox shortstop Jack Lopez doubled to center field, bringing home a run that tied the game at 2-2. At the top of the seventh inning, IronPigs left fielder Micky Moniak was hit by a pitch and taken out of the game. Lehigh Valley pitcher Jeff Singer replaced him.
The game went into extra innings. In the bottom of the tenth inning, with runners on first and second with no outs, Red Sox center fielder Jarren Duran ended the game with an opposite three-run home run out to left field that gave Worcester a 5-2 win.
Lehigh Valley has now lost four straight games. The winning pitcher went to Worcester’s Caleb Simpson (1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 SO). The loss went to IronPigs pitcher Bryan Mitchell (1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 1 BB). Worcester has taken eleven out of twelve games.
The week does not get easier for Lehigh Valley. They will return to Coca-Cola Park to begin a six-game homestand versus the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Tuesday, June 22nd, at 7:05 pm on MiLB.com.
