The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (53-67) blew a four-run lead in a 7-4 loss Friday night against the Buffalo Bisons (73-47) at Sahlen Field.
Francisco Morales (0-0. 0.00 ERA) made his IronPigs debut after going (4-13, 6.94 ERA) with Reading. Bowden Francis (5-4, 4.29 ERA) started for Buffalo.
At the top of the third inning, with IronPigs runners on first and second base, left fielder Simon Muzziotti singled to center field, scoring Darick Hall from second base to take a 1-0 lead. Then, a sacrifice fly by third baseman Alec Bohm brought Logan O’Hoppe home for a 2-0 lead.
At the top of the fourth inning, with one out, IronPigs shortstop Bryson Stott hit a solo home run out towards right field for a 3-0 lead. Three batters later, with runners on the corners, IronPigs designated hitter Logan O’Hoppe lined out to Bisons second baseman Cullen Large for a force-out. A run scored, and the IronPigs were now up 4-0.
The IronPigs led 4-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning. David Paulino was the new IronPigs pitcher. IronPigs starter Francisco Morales threw 66 pitches (5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO). Two batters later, Bisons right fielder Gregory Polanco hit a two-run homer on a fly ball to right-center field to cut the IronPigs lead 4-2.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, with the bases loaded for the Bisons. Bisons third baseman Cavan Biggo’s sacrifice fly scored two runners that tied the game 4-4.
Braeden Ogle was the new IronPigs pitcher in the bottom of the ninth inning. With one out and Bisons runners on first and second base, right fielder Gregory Polanco ended the game with a three-run home run for a 7-4 win. It was the second straight game that the IronPigs blew a lead late in the game.
The win went to Bisons pitcher Bryan Baker (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO), while the loss went to IronPigs pitcher Braeden Ogle (0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1 HR). It was Ogle’s fifth loss of the season.
Game four of the five-game series continues today at 1:05 pm. Mauricio Llovera (2-1, 3.65 ERA) starts for Lehigh Valley versus Buffalo’s Zach Logue (7-3, 3.43 ERA).
