On Thursday afternoon at Harbor Park, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs took on the Norfolk Tides in game three of the series. The IronPigs were looking to snap a three-game losing streak. They came into this game 1.5 games out of first place.
Before the game started, there were a couple of transactions. First, IronPigs starting pitcher Ken Emanuel was placed on the 7-day injured list. Then, the IronPigs called up pitcher Jack Perkins (3-3, 6.87 ERA) and catcher Vito Friscia from the Reading Fightin Phils.
Colton Eastman (0-7, 6.24 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley, while Norfolk started Beau Sulser (2-4, 4.14 ERA).
The game was scoreless in the first three innings. Travis Lakins was the new Tides’ pitcher to start the top of the fourth inning. He walked IronPigs’ third baseman Will Toffey with center fielder Chris Sharpe coming to the plate. Sharpe hit a two-run home run out to center field, giving Lehigh Valley a 2-0 lead. It was Lehigh Valley’s first lead of the series.
Then, IronPigs’ shortstop Daniel Robertson hit a double to center field, with Scott Kingery up next. Kingery hit an opposite-field two-run home run over the wall at right field, extending Lehigh Valley’s lead, 4-0. After Dalton Guthrie singled, Yairo Munoz grounded out to end the inning.
Moving ahead to the bottom of the fifth inning, Tides’ third baseman Jonathan Arauz was up to bat with a runner on third base and one out. Arauz flew out to Dalton Guthrie, who made a terrific throw to Rafael Marchan to get the runner out at home plate, ending the inning. It was Guthrie’s ninth assist of the season.
IronPigs’ shortstop Daniel Robertson started the top of the sixth inning with a double, followed by a single from Scott Kingery. IronPigs’ right fielder Dalton Guthrie was next. He tripled to the corner of right field, scoring Robertson and Kingery for a 6-0 lead.
It was Guthrie’s 50th RBI of the season. Then, Guthrie scored on a wild pitch, making it 7-0. IronPigs’ first baseman Darick Hall walked with one out, followed by two flyouts from Johan Camargo and Rafael Marchan, ending the inning.
Colton Eastman walked the first two batters before being pulled for James Marvel. Three batters later, Marvel hit Jacob Nottingham, followed by a wild pitch, scoring Greg Cullen that cut the IronPigs’ lead to 7-1.
Eastman’s final numbers were five innings, three hits, one run, one earned run, two walks, and one strikeout in 62 pitches. After walking Brett Phillips to load the bases, Marvel got Brett Cumberland to line out to Scott Kingery, ending the inning.
IronPigs’ third baseman Will Toffey started the top of the seventh inning with a single. Three batters later, second baseman Scott Kingery singled with two outs, moving Toffey to second base with Dalton Guthrie coming to the plate. Guthrie singled on a line drive to left field, scoring Toffey for an 8-1 lead. It was Guthrie’s third hit of the game.
IronPigs’ left fielder Jorge Bonifacio was next. He hit a three-run home run off the roof of the picnic area at left field for an 11-1 lead. It was Bonifacio’s 12th home run of the season. The inning ended when Darick Hall flew out to left fielder Robert Neustrom.
James Marvel gave up a single to Jonathan Arauz to start the bottom of the seventh inning. Two batters later, Tides’ right fielder Colton Cowser crushed a two-run home run out to right field, cutting Lehigh Valley’s lead, 11-3, with two outs. Jordan Westburg was next and flew out to Dalton Guthrie, ending the inning. That was it for Marvel, who went two innings, two hits, two runs, two earned runs, one walk, and one strikeout in 34 pitches.
Nick Duron was the new IronPigs pitcher in the bottom of the eighth inning. Duron walked Brett Phillips with two outs. Then, Brett Cumberland singled in front of Guthrie at right field. Phillips tried to reach third base, but Guthrie’s throw reached Will Toffey in time to tag out Phillips, ending the inning. It was Guthrie’s second assist of the game. That was it for Duron, who went an inning, two hits, no runs, no walks, and two strikeouts in 17 pitches.
Ryan Conroy was the new Tides’ pitcher at the top of the ninth inning. He walked Scott Kingery, followed by a single from Dalton Guthrie. IronPigs’ left fielder Jorge Bonifacio was next. He singled in the direction of Jordan Westburg, who deflected it and a run scored, 12-3. Westburg landed on his wrist and was shaken up a bit but stayed in the game.
Then, IronPigs’ first baseman Darick Hall grounded into a double play, scoring a run for a 13-3 lead. IronPigs’ designated hitter Johan Camargo was next and grounded out to first baseman Jacob Nottingham, ending the inning.
Jakob Hernandez closed out the game for the IronPigs in the bottom of the ninth inning. First, he gave up a single to Robert Neustrom. Then, two batters later, Hernandez gave up another single to Greg Cullen with one out. Then, Jordan Westburg was next with two outs. He hit a three-run home run to left field, cutting the IronPigs’ lead, 13-6. Finally, Hernandez struck out Joseph Ortiz, and Lehigh Valley snapped a three-game losing streak with a 13-6 win.
The IronPigs had 16 hits in the game and are now 69-57 for the season. In addition, they got some great news when the Charlotte Knights defeated the Durham Bulls 7-2 and now trail Durham by a half-game for first place.
The win went to Colton Eastman. It is his first win as an IronPigs pitcher, while the loss went to Norfolk pitcher Travis Lakins.
The series continues tomorrow at 7:05 pm. Tickets for the game can be purchased on StubHub, and pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
