On Thursday night at Coca-Cola Park, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs were blown out by the Rochester Red Wings 11-2 on Happy Hour night. The IronPigs and Red Wings are now both 43-38 and are in a three-way tie for third place.
Connor Brogdon (0-0, 1.35 ERA) was making a rehab start and started the game for the IronPigs, while the Red Wings started Cory Abbott (0-4, 5.54 ERA).
Connor Brogdon pitched the first inning, allowing two hits, no runs, no walks, and two strikeouts. Jeff Singer was the new IronPigs pitcher to start the top of the second inning.
Jeff Singer struck out Nick Banks before giving up a solo home run to Taylor Gushue that went to left field for a 1-0 Red Wings lead. After giving up a single to Jecksson Flores, he struck out Cole Freeman and got Josh Palacios to ground out for the third out.
At the top of the third inning, Jeff Singer got a groundout from Ildemaro Vargas and struck out Joey Meneses. Then, he hit Riley Adams, followed by a single from Jake Noll. Red Wings’ right fielder Nick Banks was up next, and he doubled over Dalton Guthrie’s head at center field, scoring two runs, extending Rochester’s lead 3-0.
Jeff Singer was done, and Joe Gatto was the new pitcher. Jeff Singer went 1.2 innings, allowing four hits, three runs, no walks, and three strikeouts. Gatto struck out Taylor Gushue, that retired the side.
At the top of the fourth inning, Joe Gatto struck out Jecksson Flores before giving up a single to Cole Freeman. Then, Gatto was pulled for Zach Warren. Joe Gatto went 0.2 innings, allowing one hit, no runs, no walks, and two strikeouts. Gatto should’ve pitched the rest of the inning.
Zach Warren struck out Josh Palacios before giving up a double to Ildemaro Vargas on a sharp ground ball to left field, making it 4-0 Red Wings. Red Wings’ designated hitter Joey Meneses was up to bat. He singled on a ground ball to right field, adding another run, 5-0. Finally, Warren got Riley Adams to pop out for the final out.
Moving to the top of the fifth inning, Ofreidy Gomez replaced Zach Warren. Warren went 0.2 IP, allowing two hits, one run, no walks, and one strikeout.
Gomez walked Red Wings’ second baseman, Jake Noll. Then, right fielder Nick Banks hit a two-run opposite-field home run at left field for a 7-0 lead. Gomez struck out Taylor Gushue, then struck out Jecksson Flores. However, Gomez threw a wild pitch that Flores swung, striking the ball. The ball hit the dirt, popped up over the catcher Rafael Marchan and rolled to the backstop. Flores then ran to first base as Marchan had no play on the ball. So rather than a strike out, he put another batter on base.
Red Wings’ center fielder Cole Freeman was up next, and he grounded towards IronPigs’ third baseman Will Toffey, who threw over to second baseman Ali Castillo to get Jecksson Flores out at second base, while Freeman was safe at first base. Then, Red Wings’ left fielder Josh Palacios hit a two-run opposite-field home run just over the wall at left field for a 9-0 lead. After giving up a single to Ildemaro Vargas, Gomez struck out Joey Meneses, swinging for the final out.
The IronPigs batters had no hits through four innings but did get a couple of walks. Red Wings pitcher Cory Abbott walked Josh Ockimey and Daniel Robertson. Then Abbott got IronPigs’ second baseman, Ali Castillo, grounded into a forceout. Daniel Robertson was out at second base, but there were runners on the corners.
That was it for Cory Abbott, who was replaced by Matt Brill. IronPigs’ left fielder Chris Sharpe was next to bat. He grounded into a forceout, scoring a run while Ali Castillo was out at second base, and it was 9-1 Red Wings. Then, Dalton Guthrie singled to right field, adding another run, 9-2. Finally, Brill got Will Toffey to ground out that ended the inning.
Moving ahead to the top of the eighth inning, Johnathan Hennigan was pitching for the IronPigs. He gave up a solo home run to Ildemaro Vargas that went into the Red Wings bullpen at left field for a 10-2 lead with one out. Hennigan walked Joey Meneses, followed by a doubled to Riley Adams. Then, Jake Noll’s sacrifice fly to right field brought in the game’s final run, 11-2. Hennigan struck out Nick Banks that ended the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Francisco Perez closed out the game for the Red Wings. He made quick work to get the final three outs of the game, and the IronPigs lost 11-2. The win went to Red Wings pitcher Matt Cronin (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO), and the loss went to IronPigs pitcher Jeff Singer.
Getting blown out is no fun to watch. The IronPigs batters have had nine hits in the last two games. However, they have lost a lot of power with Darick Hall, Yairo Munoz, Matt Vierling, and Mickey Moniak up with the Phillies. After the Phillies game, they sent Bailey Falter back to Lehigh Valley. Falter pitched in Thursday’s Phillies game.
The IronPigs will look to get back on the winning track on Friday at 7:05 pm. Tickets for the game can be purchased at StubHub, and pick up IronPigs merchandise at Fanatics.com.
