The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (1-0) kicked off the 2023 season at Innovative Field against the Rochester Red Wings. Michael Plassmeyer took the mound for the IronPigs against Rochester’s Joan Adon.
Plassmeyer got off to a rough start in the bottom of the second inning. With a runner on first base, Red Wings’ first baseman Travis Blankenhorn tripled on a sharp ground ball to right field, scoring Stone Garrett for a 1-0 Red Wings lead. Then, Red Wings’ left fielder Yadiel Hernandez doubled on a fly ball to center field near the bullpen area, scoring Blankenhorn for a 2-0 lead.
Then with one out, Red Wings’ catcher Onix Vega singled on a line drive to center field, scoring Hernandez and the Red Wings lead was now 3-0. Plassmeyer was able to get the last two outs that ended the inning. Plassmeyer went 3.1 innings, allowing five hits, three runs, and five strikeouts.
Moving ahead to the top of the fifth inning with a runner on third base, IronPigs’ left fielder Simon Muzziotti singled on a line drive to left field, scoring John Hicks that made it a 3-1 Red Wings lead. Then, IronPigs’ center fielder Scott Kingery tied the game with a two-run home run to left field, nearly hitting an SUV passing by.
At the top of the seventh inning with a runner on first base, Simon Muzziotti struck again when he tripled out to left field, scoring Esteban Quiroz. A throwing error by the Red Wings allowed Muzziotti to score and it was 5-3 IronPigs.
Francisco Morales was pitching in the bottom of the seventh inning when the Red Wings took the lead. First, Red Wings’ second baseman Darren Baker chopped the ball up in the air at third base enough to score a run. It was 5-4 IronPigs.
The IronPigs changed pitchers with Erich Uelmen replacing Francisco Morales. Two batters later, Red Wings’ right fielder Stone Garrett singled on a ground ball to left field, scoring two runs that put Rochester up 6-5 with one out. Uelmen found a way to get the last two outs that kept it a 6-5 game.
At the top of the ninth inning, IronPigs’ catcher Aramis Garcia hit a solo home run out toward left field, tying the game 6-6. The game went to extra innings.
In baseball, each team has a runner that starts a runner at second base to begin extra innings. IronPigs’ third baseman Kody Clemens went to second base to start the tenth inning. On a 2-0 count, IronPigs’ designated hitter Vimael Machin hit a two-run home run just over the right field wall for an 8-6 lead with no outs. The IronPigs were unable to add any more runs.
In the bottom of the tenth inning, Red Wings’ first baseman Travis Blankenhorn singled to left field, cutting the IronPigs lead to 8-7 with no outs. Nevertheless, IronPigs pitcher McKinley Moore got the last three outs and the IronPigs won the game by the final score of 8-7. Moore (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 SO) was the winning pitcher while the loss went to Jesús Liranzo.
The IronPigs and Red Wings will go at it again today at 1:05 pm. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo, and pickup IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
