The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (3-4) started a six-game series on the wrong foot Tuesday afternoon at Polar Park against the Worcester Red Sox (6-1).
Before the game, the Phillies called up relief pitcher Jeff Singer after RHP Corey Knebel was placed on the COVID-related list.
On the mound for the IronPigs was Michael Mariot (0-0, 0.00 ERA), while the Red Sox started Thomas Pannone (0-0, 7.71 ERA).
The Red Sox struck first in the bottom of the second inning. With a runner on first base, Red Sox second baseman Yolmer Sanchez doubled on a line drive to left field, scoring a run that put Worcester up 1-0.
IronPigs pitcher Michael Mariot, who was having a rough go of it, was taken out of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. He went three innings, allowing two hits, one run, four walks, and four strikeouts. IronPigs relief pitcher Kyle Dohy took over for Mariot.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Red Sox added another run. With runners on the corners, Red Sox center fielder Rob Refsnyder doubled on a line drive to right field, scoring a run that extended the Red Sox’s lead 2-0.
At the top of the sixth inning, the IronPigs tried to battle back. With a runner on second base, IronPigs left fielder Dalton Guthrie singled on a line drive to right field. The Red Sox committed two throwing errors, allowing a run to score and Guthrie advancing to third base. The IronPigs cut the Red Sox lead 2-1.
Two batters later, IronPigs catcher Donny Sands hit a sacrifice fly out to right field, scoring a run that tied the game 2-2.
This was as close as the IronPigs got to the Red Sox. In the bottom of the sixth inning, with a runner on first base, Red Sox second baseman Yolmer Sanchez hit a two-run home run out to right field, putting Worcester back in the lead 4-2.
Two batters later, with a runner on first base, Red Sox’s first baseman Tristian Casas crushed a two-run home out to right-center field for a 6-2 lead. Casas’s home run went 477 feet.
At the top of the seventh inning, the IronPigs had runners on first and second base for IronPigs right fielder John Andreoli. He singled on a line drive to left field, scoring a run that cut the Red Sox’s lead in half, 6-3.
Then, in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Red Sox had a runner on second base for third baseman Ryan Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald hammered a two-run home run out to right-center field for an 8-3 lead.
Moving ahead to the top of the ninth inning, Red Sox closer Kaleb Ort closed out the game. He got the last three outs as the Red Sox beat the IronPigs 8-3.
The win went to Red Sox relief pitcher Eduard Bazardo (1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 SO), while the loss went to IronPigs relief pitcher Aaron Barrett (1.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 1 SO).
Game two of the six-game series continues tomorrow at 6:45 pm. Tickets for the game can be purchased thanks to our friends at StubHub.
