The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (33-33) took on the Toledo Mud Hens (30-37) in game five of a six-game series on Saturday night from Coca-Cola Park. The IronPigs came into this game trailing the series 3-1 and needed to win these last two games to split the series.
Before the game, the Philadelphia Phillies recalled LHP Cristopher Sanchez and RHP Yunior Marte from Lehigh Valley, while sending pitcher RHP Luis Ortiz back to Lehigh Valley. Marte is filling in for RHP Seranthony Domínguez, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left oblique strain.
Drew Hutchison (2-2, 6.16 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley making his second start of the season against Toledo’s Austin Bergner (1-3, 8.68 ERA).
Lehigh Valley struck first in the bottom of the second inning. It started when Austin Bergner walked Rafael Marchan and Cal Stevenson with one out. Two batters later with two outs, Esteban Quiroz hit Bergner’s changeup 104 mph off the bat and over the wall at right-center field 402 feet for a three-run home run.
It was Quiroz’s third home run of the season. Lehigh Valley led 3-0 with two outs. Jake Cave was next. Cave followed up with a double to right field, but Simon Muzziotti lined out toward left fielder Justyn-Henry Malloy which ended the inning.
Next, Toledo scored a touchdown at the top of the third inning. Drew Hutchison walked Corey Joyce to start the inning. Then, he gave up a single to Parker Meadows followed by hitting Nick Solak that loaded the bases for Justyn-Henry Malloy.
Malloy grounded softly toward third baseman Drew Ellis but he did not have a play as everyone was safe and Toledo scored a run. It was now 3-1 Lehigh Valley.
Tyler Nevin was next for Toledo. He brought home Parker Meadows with a sacrifice fly to right fielder Cal Stevenson and Lehigh Valley was down to 3-2 with one out for Joe Rizzo. Rizzo hit Hutchison’s fastball 101 mph off the ball and it carried 308 feet over the wall at right field as Toledo took a 5-3 lead. Two batters later with two outs, Hutchison walked Donny Sands.
Andrew Knapp was next. He doubled to center field as Jake Cave and Simon Muzziotti nearly collided and the ball rolled by them with Donny Sands scoring for a 6-3 lead.
Corey Joyce returned to face Hutchison for the second time in the inning. He singled to left field scoring Knapp for a 7-3 lead. Hutchison got Parker Meadows to ground out to shortstop Scott Kingery for the final out of the inning.
Hutchison pitched one more inning and finished the night pitching four innings, allowing six hits, seven runs, four walks, and three strikeouts in 79 pitches, of which 41 were strikes.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Lehigh Valley got one of the runs back. They had to face new Toledo pitcher Garrett Hill. Rafael Marchan was the first to face Hill. He singled on a line drive to right field. Next, Hill walked Cal Stevenson with nobody out. Two batters later with two outs, Esteban Quiroz was next. During his at-bat, Hill threw a pitch that passed Donny Sands and he could not locate the ball as Marchan and Stevenson moved up a base.
Quiroz walked which loaded the bases for Jake Cave. Cave brought Marchan home with a sacrifice fly to left field, cutting Toledo’s lead to 7-4 with two outs for Simon Muzziotti. Unfortunately, Muzziotti struck out on a foul tip which ended the inning.
Moving ahead to the bottom of the sixth, Cal Stevenson singled to right field followed by Garrett Hill walking Scott Kingery. Esteban Quiroz was next but he grounded into a double play as Stevenson went to third base with two outs for Jake Cave. Hill hit Cave and Muzziotti had a chance to drive a run home. However, he grounded out toward second baseman Andre Lipcius for the final out of the inning.
Moving to the top of the eighth inning, Jace Vines was pitching for Lehigh Valley. Vines walked Corey Joyce to start the inning. Then, Parker Meadows hit the ball toward Esteban Quiroz, who bobbled the ball trying to control it and everyone was safe. Two batters later with one out, Justyn-Henry Malloy cleared the bases with a two-run triple off the wall at right-center field that extended the Mud Hens lead to 9-4.
After striking out Tyler Nevin, the inning would come to an end when Justyn-Henry Malloy tried to steal home plate and was caught in a run down before getting tagged out which ended the inning.
Lehigh Valley had one more chance in the bottom of the ninth inning. They had to face Billy Lescher. Simon Muzziotti was the first to face Lescher and he singled to center field. Two batters later with one out, Lescher walked Drew Ellis and Jordan Qsar which loaded the bases for Rafael Marchan.
Marchan grounded toward shortstop Andre Lipcius for the forceout at second base but Muzziotti scored. It was now 9-5 Toledo. Cal Stevenson was next and Toledo changed pitchers with Layne Henderson in for Lescher. Henderson walked Stevenson, reloading the bases for Scott Kingery. Kingery struck out swinging that ended the game. Lehigh Valley lost to Toledo by the final score of 9-5. With the loss, they lose the series and are on a three-game losing streak.
Lehigh Valley finished the night with nine hits, committed one error, went 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position, and left 12 men on base. Lehigh Valley pitcher Drew Hutchison lost his third game of the season, while Garrett Hill won his second game of the year, and Layne Henderson earned his first save of the season.
The IronPigs and Mud Hens close out the series on Sunday at 1:35 pm on MiLB.com. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo. Also, pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
