The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (36-37) concluded a six-game series from Polar Park on Sunday afternoon against the Worcester Red Sox (38-37). Coming into this game, the IronPigs needed a win to tie the series after blowing a four-run lead on Saturday that resulted in a loss. The IronPigs are 16-4 in afternoon games. However, they were not competitive this afternoon.
Noah Skirrow (6-2, 5.43 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley making his 12th start against Worcester’s Shane Drohan (2-2, 5.60 ERA).
After a scoreless first inning, Worcester took the lead. It started when Skirrow gave up back-to-back singles to Ronaldo Hernandez and Narciso Crook with one out for Daniel Palka. Palka grounded toward first baseman Jim Haley for the second out while Hernandez and Crook moved up a base with Stephen Scott due up to bat.
Scott brought home Hernandez with a sacrifice fly to center fielder Jake Cave that made it 1-0 Worcester. After Skirrow walked Corey Rosier, Nick Sogard flies out to center fielder Jake Cave, who made the catch that ended the inning.
In the bottom of the third inning, Worcester extended their lead. Niko Goodrum started the inning with a double to right field. Wilyer Abreu was next. Abreu hit Skirrow’s changeup for another double to center field which scored Goodrum for a 2-0 lead with nobody out.
Three batters later with two outs, Narciso Crook hit Skirrow’s curveball with the ball going one-hop off the wall at center field and Abreu scored for an RBI triple. It was now 3-0 Worcester. Then, Daniel Palka followed up hitting Skirrow’s fastball to right field which scored Crook for a 4-0 lead.
Stephen Scott was next. He hit Skirrow’s fastball off the top wall at center field that scored Palka for a 5-0 lead. Worcester scored three runs all with two outs. Skirrow would get out of the inning when Corey Rosier flies out toward left fielder Simon Muzziotti, who makes the catch for the final out.
At the top of the fifth inning, Lehigh Valley got on the board. With two outs, shortstop Weston Wilson hit Chase Shugart’s changeup 105 mph off the bat for a solo home run over the wall at left field. The home run went 350 feet and it was now 5-1 Worcester.
For Wilson, it was his 16th home run of the season, which leads the IronPigs and seventh in the International League. In addition, it was his 47th RBI of the year. Lehigh Valley could not keep it going when Jake Cave lined out toward third baseman Niko Goodrum that ended the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Josh Hendrickson was the new pitcher for Lehigh Valley. Noah Skirrow finished the afternoon pitching four innings, allowing seven hits, five runs, and three walks in 78 pitches, of which 46 were strikes.
Hendrickson began the inning by walking Ronaldo Hernandez. Three batters later with two outs, Hendrickson threw a fastball at Stephen Scott and Scott crushed it for a two-run home run over the wall at right field. It was now 7-1 Worcester.
Next, Hendrickson hit Corey Rosier and Worcester made him pay. Nick Sogard was next and hit Hendrickson’s fastball for another two-run home run onto the berm at left-center field for a 9-1 lead. Then, Hendrickson struck out Niko Goodrum for the final out of the inning.
That was it for Hendrickson, who pitched three innings allowing three hits, four runs, four walks, and seven strikeouts in 69 pitches, of which 40 were strikes. Connor Brogdon pitched the bottom of the eighth inning.
Moving to the top of the eighth inning, Taylor Scott was pitching for Worcester. Drew Ellis was the first to face Scott. Scott threw a 94 mph fastball and Ellis hit it 435 feet onto the berm at center field for a solo home run. It was now 9-2 Worcester and Ellis’s eighth home run of the year, six of them happened at Polar Park. Lehigh Valley did not add any more runs in the inning.
Moving to the top of the ninth inning, Ryan Fernandez closed out the game for the Red Sox. John Hicks hit a single on a line drive to right field with one out. Two batters later with two outs, Fernandez walked Jake Cave and Drew Ellis was next. Unfortunately, he struck out swinging and the IronPigs lose the series finale to the Red Sox by the final score of 9-2.
The Red Sox win the series 4-2 and are now 10-8 against Lehigh Valley this year. The IronPigs are now 3-7 in their last ten games and are on a two-game losing streak. In addition, Lehigh Valley remains in fourth place in the International League East Division.
Lehigh Valley finished the afternoon with eight hits, 0-5 with runners in scoring position, and left ten men on base. Noah Skirrow lost his third game of the season, and Shane Drohan won his third game of the year for Worcester.
Lehigh Valley returns to Coca-Cola Park to begin a six-game homestand against the Rochester Red Wings starting on Wednesday at 7:05 pm on MiLB.com. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo. Also, pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
