On Thursday night from Werner Park, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (32-25) took on the Omaha Storm Chasers (28-27) in game three of the series.
Ricardo Sanchez (1-1, 4.06 ERA) was on the mound for the IronPigs, while the Storm Chasers started Daniel Mengden (4-3, 5.72 ERA).
Before the game began, former IronPigs player Romain Quinn was claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Royals and was sent to the Omaha Storm Chasers.
The Storm Chasers took the lead in the bottom of the first inning. Storm Chasers’ designated hitter Vinnie Pasquantino was up at-bat with runners on second and third base. He singled on a line drive to right field as the ball short hopped in front of Dustin Peterson, scoring a run for a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Storm Chasers’ second baseman Clay Dungan singled past a diving IronPigs’ first baseman Darick Hall and into right field, adding another run, 2-0.
Then, Stormer Chasers’ right fielder Nate Eaton was up at-bat with runners on first and second base with two outs. He singled on a ground ball to IronPigs’ shortstop Yairo Munoz. However, Munoz made a throwing error to catcher Edgar Cabral and a run scored, 3-0.
The IronPigs batters were quiet in the first three innings until the top of the fourth inning when the IronPigs finally got on the board. IronPigs’ left fielder Jorge Bonifacio was up at-bat with a runner on third base. He hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring a run that cut the Storm Chasers’ lead 3-1. Despite the run scored, the IronPigs still did not have a hit in the game.
Unfortunately for the IronPigs, the Storm Chasers blew the game wide open in the bottom of the fifth inning. Storm Chasers’ second baseman Clay Dungan was up at-bat with a runner on second base. He hit an RBI double to the corner of right field, getting the run back for the Storm Chasers, 4-1.
Then, Storm Chasers’ right fielder Nate Eaton hammered a 415ft home run past the Sunbelt Bakery Home Run Porch at left for a 6-1 lead. Unfortunately, that would be it for IronPigs’ starter Ricardo Sanchez, who went 4.2 innings, allowing nine hits, six runs, two walks, and six strikeouts.
Dillon Maples took over for Sanchez. Storm Chasers’ shortstop Ivan Castillo was up at-bat with runners on second and third base. He singled to center field, adding two more runs, 8-1. Kyle Dohy replaced Dillon Maples with two outs and got the last out of the inning.
The IronPigs did not get their first hit of the game until the top of the seventh inning when left fielder Jorge Bonifacio doubled to left field with a runner on first base. Then, IronPigs’ second baseman Yairo Munoz singled on a ground ball to left field, scoring Hall, cutting Omaha’s lead to 8-2.
Then, IronPigs’ right fielder Dustin Peterson was up at-bat with runners on the corners and no outs. He grounded into a double play to Storm Chasers’ shortstop Ivan Castillo, getting two outs while another run scored, 8-3. That was the last run scored by the IronPigs in the game.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Storm Chasers got those runs back plus more. Francisco Morales was the new pitcher for the IronPigs. He walked four straight batters that made it 9-3.
Then, Storm Chasers’ designated hitter Vinnie Pasquantino singled on a line drive over the head of Will Toffey and into left field, adding another run, 10-3. Morales was done, and Jakob Hernandez was the new IronPigs pitcher.
Hernandez got a critical two outs, but Storm Chasers’ right fielder Nate Eaton hit a two-run single to center field, making it 12-3.
At the top of the ninth inning, Storm Chasers pitcher Brad Peacock closed out the game for Omaha. He gave up a single but got the final three outs as the IronPigs’ four-game winning streak ended with a 12-3 loss.
The win went to Storm Chasers’ starter Daniel Mengden (7.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 5 BB, 2 SO), while the loss went to IronPigs’ starter Ricardo Sanchez, his second of the season.
The IronPigs will look to get back on track tonight for game three at 8:05 pm. Tickets for the game can be purchased thanks to our friends at StubHub, and pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
