The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (17-16) returned to Coca-Cola Park on Tuesday morning after coming off a successful 12-game road trip that included splitting the series with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and taking five of six games from the Syracuse Mets.
The IronPigs took on the first-place Memphis Redbirds (21-13) of the International League’s West Division. The Redbirds are the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. In addition, this was the first-ever meeting between these teams.
Michael Plassmeyer (1-2, 6.75 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Memphis’s Michael McGreevy (1-1, 3.55 ERA).
At the top of the second inning, Michael Plassmeyer walked Jordan Walker with one out. Two batters later with two outs, the Redbirds took a 1-0 lead on Oscar Mercado’s double to left field. Chase Pinder was next and Plassmeyer got him to ground out which ended the inning.
Plassmeyer kept the IronPigs in the game as he pitched four innings, allowing two hits, one run, two walks, and five strikeouts in 67 pitches, of which 42 were strikeouts. However, the game got out of hand at the top of the fifth inning when Plassmeyer was replaced by Francisco Morales.
Morales walked three straight batters including a wild pitch. With Masyn Winn up to bat, Morales threw his second wild pitch, scoring Oscar Mercado and it was 2-0 Redbirds. Winn popped out for the first out.
Kramer Robertson was next, Morales threw another wild pitch, and Chase Pinder scored for a 3-0 lead. Then, Morales threw his fourth wild pitch that walked Kramer Robertson as Irving Lopez scored for a 4-0 lead. Afterward, Morales was replaced by Jeremy Walker.
Walker tried to pick off Robertson at first base but the ball got by Jim Haley, moving Robertson to second base. Then, Ivan Herrera doubled on a line drive to center field, scoring Robertson for a 5-0 lead. Walker gave up back-to-back walks with two outs before striking out Oscar Mercado to retire the side.
At the top of the sixth inning, Jeremy Walker walked Chase Pinder before giving up an RBI double to Irving Lopez for a 6-0 lead. Walker came back to get three outs that retired the side.
Moving ahead to the bottom of the ninth inning, the IronPigs looked to be headed for a shutout loss. However, they managed to find a way to get on the scoreboard. Left fielder Simon Muzziotti hit a ground ball to shortstop Kramer Robertson. Then, Jake Cave brought Muzziotti home with an RBI double off the wall at right field. It was now 6-1 Redbirds. Then Weston Wilson stepped up to the plate.
Wilson crushed a two-run home run at 106 mph off the bat and over the wall at left field. It was now 6-3 Redbirds. For Wilson, it was his eighth home run of the season and two straight home runs in two games. Unfortunately, Jordan Qsar could not keep the rally going as he struck out swinging for the final out of the game.
The loss snaps the IronPigs’ three-game winning streak. Lehigh Valley is now 6-4 in their last ten games. They finished the afternoon with 12 hits, 1-11 with runners in scoring position, and left ten men on base. Lehigh Valley pitcher Michael Plassmeyer lost his third game of the season, while the win went to Memphis pitcher Michael McGreevy for his second win of the year.
The two teams will meet again on Wednesday at 6:45 pm on MiLB.com. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo. Also, pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
