The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (28-38) routed the Worcester Red Sox (35-29) 14-5 Tuesday night at Coca-Cola Park in front of 6,063 fans. Chase Anderson (0-2, 6.17 ERA) started for Lehigh Valley versus Worcester’s Kyle Hart (4-5, 4.64 ERA).
Lehigh Valley got on the board in the bottom of the second inning when third baseman Austin Listi doubled to center field, scoring a run for a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Odubel Herrera, made a rehab start for the Phillies. He singled to left field that brought home another run 2-0. Then, a passed ball by Red Sox catcher Connor Wong added another run 3-0.
Lehigh Valley blew the game open in the bottom of the third inning. With a runner on second base, IronPigs right fielder Matt Vierling hit a sharp ground ball to right field, scoring a run for a 4-0 lead. IronPigs second baseman Ruben Tejada was the next batter up. Then Red Sox pitcher John Schreiber threw a wild pitch, adding another run 5-0.
Then, Tejada cleared the bases with a two-run triple to right field for a 7-0 lead. IronPigs left fielder Charlie Tilson followed up with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Tejada for an 8-0 lead.
The Red Sox would end the shutout at the top of the fourth inning when designated hitter Chris Herrmann’s groundout to shortstop Dalton Guthrie scored a run that cut the IronPigs lead 8-1.
Then, the Red Sox started to catch up at the top of the sixth inning. With two outs and a runner on second base, Red Sox second baseman Jonathan Arauz singled to right field that made it an 8-2 game. IronPigs starting pitcher Chase Anderson (5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO) was replaced by Jakob Hernandez. Hernandez gave up a double to center fielder Tate Matheny, scoring two more runs, and the game was now 8-4.
The IronPigs would get those runs back in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out and runners on second and third, IronPigs shortstop Dalton Guthrie singled to left field, scoring a run for a 9-4 lead. A ground out by IronPigs right fielder Matt Vierling made it 10-4. Two batters later, left fielder Ryan Cordell hit a three-run home run out towards left field for a 13-4 lead. It was Cordell’s twelfth home run of the season.
At the top of the seventh inning, Damon Jones replaced Jakob Hernandez as the new IronPigs pitcher. With one out and runners on second and third, Red Sox shortstop Jeter Downs grounded out to shortstop Dalton Guthrie, scoring a run to cut Lehigh Valley’s lead to 13-5.
The IronPigs added another run in the bottom of the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Austin Listi for a 14-5 lead. It was Listi’s second RBI of the night.
At the top of the ninth inning, Egg Harbor Township, NJ native Mike Adams, closed the game. He got the last three outs to secure the IronPigs a 14-5 win over the Worcester Red Sox.
Lehigh Valley starting pitcher Chase Anderson got the win, his first of the season, and the loss went to Worcester starting pitcher Kyle Hart (1.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 SO).
Game two between these two teams is tonight at 7:05 pm with Spencer Howard (0-2, 5.82 ERA) on the mound for Lehigh Valley versus Stephen Gonsalves (3-4, 4.53 ERA) for Worcester.
