On Thursday night at Truist Field, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs took on the Charlotte Knights in game three of the series. The IronPigs lost the first two games against the Knights, and the bats came alive in this game.
Kent Emanuel (0-1, 2.30 ERA) was on the mound for the IronPigs, while the Knights started John Parke (2-8, 6.70 ERA).
The game was scoreless in the first two innings. IronPigs’ left fielder Chris Sharpe started the top of the third inning with a single, followed by another single from catcher Edgar Cabral, moving Sharpe to third base. IronPigs’ second baseman Sal Gozzo was up to bat. During his plate appearance, Edgar Cabral stole second base.
Sal Gozzo was called out on strikes, and Dalton Guthrie was up next. Guthrie drove Sharpe home with a sacrifice fly to left field for a 1-0 lead. The inning would end on a ground out by IronPigs’ designated hitter Donny Sands.
The Knights tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the third inning on a Mark Payton home run to right field. Kent Emanuel gave up a single to Yasmani Grandal before getting Lenyn Sosa to pop out and Carlos Perez to ground into a double play towards second baseman Sal Gozzo, who tagged second base, then threw the ball to Josh Ockimey that retired the side.
At the top of the fourth inning, Scott Kingery singled with two outs. Then, Knights pitcher John Parke walked Ali Castillo, and following him was left fielder Chris Sharpe. Sharpe doubled on a line drive to the right field corner, scoring Kingery that put Lehigh Valley back up, 2-1. The inning would end when catcher Edgar Cabral flied out to right field.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, IronPigs pitcher Kent Emanuel struck out Yolbert Sanchez. Then, he gave up another home run to Blake Rutherford that went to the home run porch at right field, tying the game 2-2. After giving up a double to Micker Adolfo, Emanuel got a fly out from Xavier Fernandez and a ground out by Laz Rivera that ended the inning.
Moving ahead to the bottom of the fifth inning, IronPigs pitcher Kent Emanuel walked Yasmani Grandal with one out, and next up was Lenyn Sosa. Sosa doubled to left field, followed by a Carlos Perez sacrifice fly to center field that gave Charlotte the lead, 3-2. After a mound meeting, Yolbert Sanchez grounded out to Kent Emanuel, and he threw the ball over to Josh Ockimey, that retired the side.
IronPigs’ right fielder Dustin Peterson started the top of the sixth inning with a single. He advanced to second base on a fielding error by Blake Rutherford. Then, IronPigs’ first baseman Josh Ockimey doubled to right field, scoring Peterson that tied the game, 3-3, with Scott Kingery up at-bat. Kingery singled on a soft bunt ground ball and reached first base while Josh Ockimey went to third base for Ali Castillo. Castillo’s bunt popped up, but luckily, no one could reach for the ball, and everyone was safe, while Ockimey scored for a 4-3 lead.
That was it for John Parke, who was replaced by Zach Muckenhirm. Then, IronPigs’ left fielder Chris Sharpe stepped up to plate. Sharpe grounded out to shortstop Lenyn Sosa for the first out, but another run scored for the IronPigs, 5-3. Then, Edgar Cabral and Sal Gozzo flied out, ending the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Joe Gatto replaced Kent Emanuel. Emanuel went five innings, allowing eight hits, three runs, one walk, and three strikeouts in 81 pitches. After getting two outs, Gatto walked the next three batters before getting Yasmani Grandal to ground out to Josh Ockimey, that retired the side.
Moving ahead to the bottom of the seventh inning, Jakob Hernandez replaced Joe Gatto. Gatto went one inning with no hits, no runs, three walks, and one strikeout in 19 pitches. Hernandez made quick work to end the inning, and his scoreless streak reached 15 games.
Declan Cronin was the new Knights’ pitcher to start the top of the eighth inning. IronPigs’ third baseman Ali Castillo doubled, followed by a single from Chris Sharpe, scoring Castillo for a 6-3 lead. Sharpe reached second base when the center fielder threw the ball to home plate. Then, Cronin walked Edgar Cabral and Sal Gozzo, which loaded the bases for Dalton Guthrie. Unfortunately, Guthrie struck out swinging, and up next was Donny Sands.
IronPigs’ designated hitter Donny Sands singled on a sharp line drive to center field, scoring Chris Sharpe and Edgar Cabral for an 8-3 lead. After walking Dustin Peterson, Declan Cronin was replaced by Andrew Perez. Perez got Josh Ockimey to ground into a double play that ended the inning.
Jakob Hernandez got Blake Rutherford to fly out in the bottom of the eighth inning, and James Marvel replaced him. Hernandez went 1.1 innings, with no hits, no runs, no walks, and two strikeouts in 16 pitches. Marvel made quick work to get the last two outs that retired the side.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Tyler Cyr closed out the game. First, he gave up a single to Laz Rivera, followed by striking out Mark Payton. Then, he walked Yasmani Grandal before getting Lenyn Sosa to ground into a double play that ended the game. The IronPigs snapped a three-game losing streak with an 8-3 win. The IronPigs had 13 hits in the game.
The win went to IronPigs starter Kent Emanuel, his first of the season, while the loss went to Knights starter John Parke, his ninth loss of the season.
The series continues tonight at 7:04 pm. Tickets for the game can be purchased at StubHub, and pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
