On Friday night at Coca-Cola Park, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (38-32) took on the Norfolk Tides (34-36).
Kent Emanuel (0-0, 0.00 ERA) was making a rehab start for the IronPigs. Emanuel was claimed by the Phillies last offseason and has been out due to a left elbow impingement. Meanwhile, the Tides started Michael Baumann (0-4, 1.54 ERA).
The Tides got on the board at the top of the first inning. IronPigs’ pitcher Kent Emanuel gave up back-to-back singles to Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg. Then, Tides’ right fielder Kyle Stowers grounded into a forceout when Darick Hall threw to Drew Maggi that, got the runner out at second base. Maggi then threw to Emanuel, who was now covering first base but threw wide right, allowing a run to score, and Norfolk went up 1-0 with one out. Emanuel came back to strike out Jacob Nottingham. DJ Stewart was next to bat but hit a flyout that ended the inning.
Emanuel got into trouble at the top of the third inning. After getting Gunnar Henderson to fly out for the first out, he gave up back-to-back singles to Jordan Westburg and Kyle Stowers, followed by getting Jacob Nottingham to fly out for the second out. Then, Emanuel loaded the bases after hitting DJ Stewart but recovered to get Shed Long Jr. to fly out for the third out.
At the top of the fourth inning, Emanuel hit Cadyn Grenier, followed by striking out Beau Taylor for the first out. Then, when Grenier attempted to steal second base, Emanuel got help from Rafael Marchan, who gunned him down for the second out. It was Marchan’s second successful pickoff of the night. Finally, Emanual got Dylan Harris to ground out for the final out. That would be it for Emanuel, who did a decent job going four innings, allowing six hits, one run, no walks, and three strikeouts. Jeff Singer replaced him at the top of the fifth inning.
Moving ahead to the top of the sixth inning, the Tides added another run. James Marvel was the new IronPigs pitcher after Jeff Singer pitched one inning, allowing one hit, no runs, no walks, and no strikeouts.
There was no reason to pull Jeff Singer, and IronPigs manager Anthony Contreras should’ve let Singer pitch another inning. Instead, all Contreras is doing is wasting pitchers. James Marvel gave up a single DJ Stewart, followed by a double to Shed Long Jr. that scored Stewart for a 2-0 lead with no outs. Marvel regrouped to get three straight outs to end the inning.
The IronPigs batters were quiet for the first five innings, only getting two hits and two walks until the bottom of the sixth inning, when they came back to tie the game. After Mickey Moniak struck out, Tides’ pitcher Logan Gillaspie walked Dalton Guthrie, followed by a fly out from Darick Hall for the second out.
Then, IronPigs’ left fielder Dustin Peterson singled before IronPigs’ catcher Rafael Marchan doubled on a sharp fly ball over the head of Dylan Harris at center field, bringing home Guthrie and Peterson that tied the game, 2-2. However, the IronPigs could not add any more runs after Jorge Bonifacio grounded out for the third out.
At the top of the seventh inning, the Tides pulled away. First, IronPigs pitcher James Marvel gave up back-to-back singles to Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg before being replaced by Jonathan Hennigan. Then, Hennigan gave up a single to Kyle Stowers that loaded the bases, followed by a sacrifice fly by Tides’ catcher Jacob Nottingham that brought home a run, putting Norfolk back in the lead, 3-2 with one out.
Tides’ designated hitter DJ Stewart drove in another run with an RBI single for a 4-2 lead, followed by a single from Shed Long Jr. Then, Hennigan walked in two runs, and it was 6-2 with the bases loaded. Jakob Hernandez came in and got the last two outs to end the inning. In a game that was lost, Hernandez did not need to be in there unless the team made a comeback.
At the top of the eighth inning, Joe Gatto was the new IronPigs pitcher. He gave up a double to Jordan Westburg, followed by a Kyle Stowers two-run home that made it 8-2. Then, he gave up a double Jacob Nottingham, followed by a single to DJ Stewart. Tides’ left fielder Shed Long Jr. drove in another run on a soft ground ball to Will Toffey, who had no play, and a run scored for a 9-3 Tides lead. Joe Gatto was able to get Cadyn Grenier to fly out for the first out before getting Beau Taylor to ground out into a double-play for the last two outs of the inning.
The IronPigs got three of those runs back on a two-run home run by Dustin Peterson and a solo home run by Jorge Bonifacio to make it 9-5 Tides.
Aaron Barrett was the new IronPigs pitcher at the top of the ninth inning. After getting Dylan Harris to ground out for the first out, Gunnar Henderson hit an opposite field home run into the Tides bullpen for a 10-5 lead. Barrett gave up a double to Jordan Westburg before getting the last two outs of the inning.
Isaac Mattson was the new Tides pitcher in the bottom of the ninth inning. He walked Scott Kingery before getting Mickey Moniak to pop out and Dalton Guthrie to fly out for two outs. Then, Darick Hall crushed a two-run home run over the KLYR roof at right field, cutting the Tides’ lead, 10-7. It was Hall’s 19th home run this year. Dustin Peterson singled before Rafael Marchan popped up for the final out of the game, and the IronPigs lost 10-7. They are now 15-19 at home this year and 4-6 in their last ten games.
The win went to Tides’ relief pitcher Logan Gillaspie (3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 SO), and the loss went to IronPigs’ relief pitcher James Marvel (1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 0 SO).
The series continues today at 6:35 pm. Tickets for the game can be purchased at StubHub, and pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
