On Tuesday, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs started a six-game road trip at Sahlen Field against the Buffalo Bisons. The IronPigs are 4-8 this year against Buffalo. Coming into this game, the IronPigs trailed the Durham Bulls by one game for first place in the International League East Division.
Before the game got underway, left-hand pitcher Erik Miller was promoted to Lehigh Valley from the Reading Fightin Phils. Miller is 1-0, with a 2.23 ERA, allowing 25 hits, nine runs, and 44 strikeouts in 36.1 innings. The IronPigs also placed left-hand pitcher Jonathan Hennigan on the temporarily inactive list.
Ofreidy Gomez (0-0, 7.94 ERA) was on the mound for the IronPigs, while the Bisons started Thomas Hatch (7-5, 4.81 ERA).
IronPigs’ center fielder Dalton Guthrie started the top of the first inning with a single, and second baseman Yairo Munoz was up next. During Munoz’s plate appearance, Dalton Guthrie was attempting to steal second base and went too far away from the first base bag and got picked off by Thomas Hatch for the first out. Munoz grounded out, and Josh Ockimey struck out, ending the inning.
IronPigs pitcher Ofreidy Gomez gave up a single to Otto Lopez to start the bottom of the first inning, followed by walking Spencer Horwitz. Bisons’ designated hitter Gabriel Moreno was up next. During his plate appearance, Gomez threw a wild pitch, moving the runners up a base. Gomez struck out Moreno, but Zach Collins’s sacrifice fly to center field made it 1-0 Buffalo.
Vinny Capra was up next for the Bisons. He doubled on a fly ball to center field for a 2-0 lead. Finally, Gomez got Nathan Lukes to ground out that retired the side. That was it for Gomez, who went one inning, allowing two hits, two runs, one walk, and one strikeout in 26 pitches.
Zach Warren was the new IronPigs pitcher in the bottom of the second inning. After getting two outs, Warren walked Cullen Large and Otto Lopez before being replaced by James Marvel. Marvel got Spencer Horwitz to ground out that ended the inning.
IronPigs’ second baseman Yairo Munoz started the top of the fourth inning with a single with Josh Ockimey coming to the plate. Ockimey struck out, and Johan Camargo was next. During Camargo’s plate appearance, Bisons’ pitcher Thomas Hatch caught Munoz trying to steal third base and got him out. Finally, Camargo struck out to end the inning.
Moving ahead to the bottom of the fifth inning with two outs, Michael Kelly replaced James Marvel. Marvel went three innings with no hits, no runs, no walks, and two strikeouts in 38 pitches. Kelly got Spencer Horwitz to fly out that ended the inning.
IronPigs’ shortstop Scott Kingery grounded out to start the top of the sixth inning. Then, Bisons’ starter Thomas Hatch walked IronPigs’ catcher Karl Ellison with Dalton Guthrie coming to the plate. Guthrie crushed a two-run home run at the 404 sign in center field, tying the game 2-2. It was Guthrie’s ninth home run of the season. Yairo Munoz popped out, and Josh Ockimey grounded out, ending the inning.
Mark Appel was the new IronPigs pitcher in the bottom of the seventh inning. He hit Nathan Lukes, followed by back-to-back walks to Rafael Lantigua and Chavez Young, loading the bases. After a mound visit, Appel struck out Cullen Large and got Otto Lopez to ground into a double play, ending the inning.
Moving ahead to the bottom of the eighth inning, Jace Fry was the new IronPigs pitcher. He gave up two straight singles to Spencer Horwitz and Gabriel Moreno with no outs. Zach Collins was up next and doubled on a line drive to right field, scoring both runners for a 4-2 lead.
Two batters later, with one out, Nathan Lukes’ tripled to center field, giving Buffalo an insurance run, 5-2. Rafael Lantigua struck out, and Chavez Young grounded out, ending the inning. Fry went one inning, allowing four hits, three runs, no walks, and one strikeout in 26 pitches.
Matt Gage closed out the game for the Bisons at the top of the ninth inning. He got back-to-back groundouts from Yairo Munoz and Dalton Guthrie before striking out Chris Sharpe, ending the game.
The IronPigs’ loss of 5-2 drops them to 61-51 for the season. They had five hits in the game and are now tied with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp for second place, while Durham won their game and are now two games up over the IronPigs for first place.
The win went to Bisons’ pitcher Julian Merryweather for his first win of the year, while the loss went to IronPigs pitcher Jace Fry, his first loss of the year.
The series continues with game two tonight at 7:05 pm. Tickets for the game can be purchased on StubHub, and pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
