On Friday night at Coca-Cola Park, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs took on the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in game four of the series. The IronPigs came into this game, trailing the Durham Bulls by 6.5 games for first place.
However, the IronPigs needed to win their last six games, while the Bulls must lose their last six games for the IronPigs to have a chance to make the playoffs. Matt Seelinger (0-0, 0.00 ERA) made his IronPigs debut on the mound. Seelinger was 3-2 with a 3.47 ERA in Reading this year. Meanwhile, the RailRiders started Sean Boyle (3-1, 4.34 ERA).
At the top of the first inning, IronPigs pitcher Matt Seelinger got back-to-back strikeouts from Estevan Florial and Anthony Volpe. Then, he gave up a single to Blake Perkins. However, it should’ve been the third out, but third baseman Daniel Robertson did not see the ball and the ball dropped for a base hit. Seelinger tried to run for it, seeing Robertson didn’t know where it was, but it was too late.
After walking Armando Alverez, Seelinger got Josh Breaux to ground towards shortstop Scott Kingery for a forceout at second base, ending the inning. That was it for Seelinger, who pitched an inning, allowing one hit, one walk, and two strikeouts in 25 pitches, of which 17 were strikes.
Bubby Rossman was the new IronPigs pitcher at the top of the second inning. He gave up a single to Tyler Wade. Two batters later, he gave up a double to Michael Beltre, moving Wade to third base with one out.
Two batters later, Estevan Florial singled on a ground ball to left field, scoring Wade and Beltre for a 2-0 lead with two outs with Anthony Volpe batting. During Volpe’s plate appearance, Florial tried to steal second base, but Rafael Marchan gunned him down, ending the inning. Rossman went one more inning and finished pitching two innings, allowing four hits, two runs, no walks, and two strikeouts in 31 pitches, of which 23 were strikes.
In the bottom of the second inning, IronPigs’ right fielder Jorge Bonifacio singled to right field with one out. Then, catcher Rafael Marchan was next, and he singled to center field, moving Bonifacio to second base. Two batters later, IronPigs’ third baseman Will Toffey walked with two outs, loading the bases for Ali Castillo. Unfortunately, Castillo popped out towards first baseman Armando Alverez, ending the inning.
Brian Marconi was the new IronPigs pitcher to begin the top of the fourth inning. He gave up back-to-back singles to Tyler Wade and Phillip Evans. Two batters later, he walked Max McDowell, loading the bases for Estevan Florial with one out. Marconi escaped the inning by getting back-to-back pop-outs from Florial and Anthony Volpe, ending the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Jorge Bonifacio singled to center field with one out. Two batters later, Daniel Robertson was hit by a pitch with two outs for Will Toffey. Unfortunately, Toffey struck out swinging, ending the inning.
At the top of the fifth inning, IronPigs pitcher Brian Marconi walked Blake Perkins. Two batters later, he gave up a single to Josh Breaux, moving Perkins to third base, and Breaux went to second base on a fielding error by Will Toffey. Tyler Wade was next and singled to center field, scoring Perkins for a 3-0 lead.
Then, Phillip Evans brought Breaux home with a sacrifice fly to center field, extending the RailRiders’ lead 4-0. Marconi struck out Michael Beltre, ending the inning. That was it for Marconi, who went two innings, allowing four hits, two runs, one earned run, two walks, and two strikeouts in 43 pitches, of which 24 were strikes.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, IronPigs’ first baseman Darick Hall crushed a solo home run over the KLYR roof at right field to put the IronPigs on the board, 4-1, with two outs. It was Hall’s 28th home run, and he is now one home run away from tying Rhys Hoskins’s home run record (29 home runs) set in 2017. Then, Dustin Peterson grounded out, ending the inning.
Trevor Bettencourt was the new IronPigs pitcher at the top of the sixth inning. He gave up back-to-back singles to Anthony Volpe and Blake Perkins with two outs before striking out Armando Alverez, ending the inning. That was it for Bettencourt, who went an inning, allowing two hits, no runs, no walks, and two strikeouts in 17 pitches, of which 13 were strikes.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, IronPigs’ designated hitter Johan Camargo singled, followed RailRiders’ pitcher Miguel Castro walking Jorge Bonifacio with no outs. Unfortunately, Rafael Marchan grounded into a double play, and Daniel Robertson struck out swinging, ending the inning.
Vinny Nittoli was the new IronPigs pitcher at the top of the seventh inning. Nittoli struck out Josh Breaux, got Tyler Wade to fly out towards Will Toffey, and struck out Phillip Evans, ending the inning. Nittoli went an inning with no hits, no runs, no walks, and two strikeouts in 15 pitches, of which ten were strikes.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, IronPigs’ shortstop Scott Kingery singled with two outs. Then, IronPigs’ first baseman Darick Hall walked, followed by another single from Dustin Peterson, loading the bases for Johan Camargo for the second time in the game. Unfortunately, Camargo struck out swinging, ending the inning.
Jakob Hernandez was the IronPigs pitcher at the top of the eighth inning. First, he hit Max McDowell with one out. Then, he struck out Estevan Florial and got Anthony Volpe to pop out towards Ali Castillo, ending the inning. Hernandez went an inning with no hits, no runs, no walks, and one strikeout in 18 pitches, of which 12 were strikes.
Griff McGarry was the new IronPigs pitcher at the top of the ninth inning. First, he walked Blake Perkins before getting Armando Alverez to ground into a double play. Then, he got Josh Breaux to ground out towards first baseman Darick Hall, ending the inning.
The IronPigs had one more chance to get back into the game in the bottom of the ninth inning. Scott Kingery singled with one out, but Darick Hall grounded out, and Dustin Peterson struck out to end the game, and the IronPigs lost 4-1.
The IronPigs are officially eliminated from playoff contention. They had eight hits and are now 74-70 for the season, while the RailRiders move to 80-64. The win went to RailRiders starter Sean Boyle. It was his fourth win of the season, and the loss went to IronPigs pitcher Bubby Rossman, his third loss of the season.
Game five of the series continues tonight at 6:35 pm. Tickets for the game can be purchased on StubHub, and pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
