On Sunday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs took on the Durham Bulls in the final game of the series, looking to split the series.
Ricardo Sanchez (4-3, 4.71 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley, while the Bulls started Luis Patino (1-0, 3.57 ERA).
Ricardo Sanchez started the bottom of the first inning, walking Bulls’ shortstop Vidal Brujan with Miles Mastrobuoni was coming to the plate. Then, Sanchez tried to pick off Brujan at first base, but he threw the ball wide to first baseman Josh Ockimey, allowing Brujan to run to third base. Next, Mastrobuoni hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Brujan for a 1-0 lead.
After Sanchez gave up a single to Jonathan Aranda, he got Ruben Cardenas to ground out, and Tristian Gray lined out to end the inning.
Moving ahead to the top of the fifth inning, JT Chargois was the new Bulls pitcher. He walked Josh Ockimey, followed by hitting IronPigs’ left fielder Chris Sharpe, with Justin Williams coming to the plate. Williams doubled over the head of Brujan and into center field, scoring Ockimey that tied the game 1-1.
IronPigs’ catcher Rafael Marchan was up next. Marchan doubled on a line drive off the wall at right field, scoring Sharpe and Williams for a 3-1 lead. The Bulls made a pitching change with Phoenix Sanders in for Chargois. After getting Will Toffey to fly out, IronPigs’ shortstop Scott Kingery hit a two-run home run to center field, extending Lehigh Valley’s lead 5-1. It was Kingery’s fifth home run of the year. IronPigs’ center fielder Mickey Moniak struck out, and second baseman Jean Segura grounded out to end the inning.
Calvin Faucher was the new Bulls pitcher to start the top of the sixth inning. Faucher walked Nick Maton, followed by a single from Josh Ockimey, with Chris Sharpe coming to the plate. Sharpe singled on a line drive to left field, scoring Maton for a 6-1 lead. After a mound visit from the Bulls, Faucher got Justin Williams to fly out, Rafael Marchan to ground out, and struck out Will Toffey to end the inning.
James Marvel was the new IronPigs pitcher to start the bottom of the sixth inning. Ricardo Sanchez went five innings, two hits, one run, two walks, and six strikeouts in 87 pitches. Marvel gave up a triple to Vidal Brujan, followed by walking Miles Mastrobuoni. Jonathan Aranda was up next. He grounded into a double play and a run scored, 6-2. Finally, Marvel struck out Ruben Cardenas, ending the inning.
Chris Mueller was the new Bulls pitcher to start the top of the seventh inning. Scott Kingery was first to face Mueller. He doubled on a line drive to left field with Mickey Moniak coming to the plate. Moniak walked, and Jean Segura was next. Segura singled to left field that loaded the bases for Nick Maton.
Maton singled on a fly ball to left field, scoring Kingery for a 7-2 lead. The IronPigs were unable to add any more runs when Josh Ockimey, Chris Sharpe, and Justin Williams struck out. Jonathan Hennigan (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 12 pitches) pitched in the seventh inning, and Zach Warren (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 13 pitches) pitched in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Nick Duron closed out the game for the IronPigs in the bottom of the ninth inning. He got Miles Mastrobuoni and Jonathan Aranda to ground out and struck out Ruben Cardenas as the IronPigs beat the Bulls 7-2 to split the series. The win puts the IronPigs back in a three-way tie for first place with Durham and Jacksonville. The IronPigs are now 54-45 for the season.
The win went to IronPigs starter Ricardo Sanchez, his fifth win of the season, while the loss went to Bulls starter Luis Patino.
The IronPigs return to Coca-Cola Park to begin a 12-game homestand, starting on Tuesday against the Syracuse Mets at 11:35 am. Tickets for the game can be purchased on StubHub, and pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
