The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (36-35) and the Worcester Red Sox (37-36) played game four of a six-game series on Friday night from Polar Park. Coming into this game, the Red Sox led the series 2-1 after Lehigh Valley snapped a two-game losing streak on Thursday night.
This is the third series meeting between these teams and the second at Polar Park with the Red Sox leading the season series 8-7. Drew Hutchison (2-3, 7.07 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley making his third start of the year against Worcester’s Rio Gomez (0-0, 3.55 ERA).
After two scoreless innings, the IronPigs struck first at the top of the third inning. It started when Jake Cave singled to right field with one out. Two batters later with two outs, Gomez walked Darick Hall with Weston Wilson approaching home plate.
Wilson doubled on a line drive to center field. Right fielder Corey Rosier tried to make the catch but the ball got away from him, scoring Cave and Hall for a 2-0 lead. An error was charged to Rosier. It was Wilson’s 13th double of the season.
Simon Muzziotti was next. He hit Gomez’s cutter fastball for a two-run home run over the wall at center field for a 4-0 lead. It was Muzziotti’s fourth home run of the season.
Next, Jim Haley doubled on a ground ball to left field. That was it for Gomez, who was replaced by Brendan Nail with two outs. Nail got Esteban Quiroz to ground out to first baseman Daniel Palka for the final out of the inning.
In the bottom of the third inning, Nick Sogard doubled on a ground ball to right field with two outs for Nik Goodrum. However, Hutchison walked Goodrum with Ronaldo Hernandez next. Hernandez hit the ball to center fielder Simon Muzziotti, scoring a run then Muzziotti threw to Esteban Quiroz who tagged Goodrum out at second base which retired the side. It was now 4-1 Lehigh Valley.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Worcester got closer. Daniel Palka hit a single to start the inning, followed by a two-run home run over the right-center field wall by Narciso Crook. It was now 4-3 Lehigh Valley. Hutchison walked two more batters but did get the three outs that ended the inning, including a beautiful throw by Jake Cave that got Marcus Wilson out at third base. It was the second Worcester player caught trying to advance a base.
That was it for Hutchison, who pitched four innings, allowing five hits, three runs, three walks, and three strikeouts in 78 pitches, of which 47 were strikes. Jesus Cruz took over the pitching duties in the bottom of the fifth inning.
At the top of the fifth inning, Lehigh Valley got those runs back. It started when Nail threw an 81-mph fastball and Dustin Peterson got all of it for a solo home run onto the berm at center field. It was 5-3 Lehigh Valley and the ninth home run for Peterson this year.
Two batters later with one out, Weston Wilson singled on a line drive to left field. Simon Muzziotti was next. During his at-bat, Wilson stole second base. Muzziotti hit a bloop single to left field, scoring Wilson for a 6-3 lead. Lehigh Valley did not add any more runs in the inning.
At the top of the sixth inning, Joely Rodriguez was the new pitcher for Worcester. Scott Kingery was the first to face Rodriguez and doubled to left field. Three batters later with two outs, Dustin Peterson brought Kingery home with an RBI single to center field. It was now 7-3 Lehigh Valley with two outs.
Darick Hall followed up with a single and Rodriguez walked Weston Wilson, loading the bases for Simon Muzziotti. Rodriguez was replaced by Cam Booser, and Booser struck out Muzziotti which ended the inning.
Moving to the bottom of the seventh inning, Jace Vines was pitching for Lehigh Valley. He gave up a double to Niko Goodrum, followed by a single from Ronaldo Hernandez which moved Goodrum to third base with one out. Two batters later, Vines walked Narciso Crook which loaded the bases for Stephen Scott.
Scott hit a two-run single to center field, scoring Goodrum and Hernandez. It was now 7-5 Lehigh Valley. Vines was replaced after allowing the two runs by Jeremy Walker. After walking Marcus Wilson, Walker got Christian Koss to fly out toward right fielder Jake Cave who retired the side.
Moving to the bottom of the eighth inning, Jacob Barnes was pitching for Lehigh Valley. He gave up a single to Corey Rosier, followed by walking Nick Sogard with nobody out for Niko Goodrum. Goodrum moved Rosier to third base with a fly out to center fielder Simon Muzziotti.
Next, Ronaldo Hernandez brought Rosier home with a sacrifice fly to right fielder Jake Cave, who made a great catch. It was now 7-6 Lehigh Valley with two outs with Daniel Palka approaching the plate. Palka popped out toward shortstop Scott Kingery for the final out of the inning.
Andrew Bellatti closed out the game for Lehigh Valley in the bottom of the ninth inning. He struck out Narciso Crook, got Stephen Scott to line out toward second baseman Jim Haley, who made the throw to Darick Hall for the second out, and a ground out by Marcus Wilson ended the game. The IronPigs held on to defeat the Red Sox by the final score of 7-6.
Lehigh Valley almost gave this game away but luckily was able to hold the Red Sox off to secure their second straight win and tie the series at two apiece. Lehigh Valley’s bullpen (Jesus Cruz, Jace Vines, Jeremy Walker, Jacob Barnes, and Andrew Bellatti) combined pitching five innings, allowing four hits, three runs, five walks, and three strikeouts.
Lehigh Valley’s offense had a good game, finishing the night with 13 hits, went 3 for 8 with runners in scoring position, and left 10 men on base. Simon Muzziotti went 2-5 with a home run and three RBIs, while Dustin Peterson went 2-5 with a home run and two RBIs.
Jesus Cruz earned his second win of the season, while Andrew Bellatti picked up his second save of the year, and Rio Gomez lost his first game of the year for Worcester.
The IronPigs and Red Sox play game five on Saturday at 4:05 pm on MiLB.com. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo. Also, pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
