The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (38-39) took on the Rochester Red Wings (36-41) on Saturday night from Coca-Cola Park in game three of the six-game series. The IronPigs came into this game trailing the series 2-1 to Rochester and are 4-6 in their last ten games.
Bailey Falter (2-0, 6.38 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley making his seventh start of the season against Rochester’s Anthony Banda (0-0, 6.23 ERA).
In the bottom of the second inning, Lehigh Valley took an early lead. It started when Anthony Banda hit Drew Ellis to begin the inning. Two batters later with one out, Scott Kingery hit Banda’s low fastball that just cleared the left-center field wall for a two-run home run. It was 2-0 Lehigh Valley. For Kingery, that was his ninth home run of the year. He now has 24 RBIs this year. Lehigh Valley did not add any more runs in the inning.
In the bottom of the third inning, Lehigh Valley first baseman John Hicks started the inning with a single. Weston Wilson was up next. During Wilson’s at-bat, Hicks stole second base and later stole third base on Banda’s wild pitch. Wilson brought Hicks home with a sacrifice fly to center field. It was now 3-0 Lehigh Valley.
Two batters later with two outs, Rochester shortstop Richie Martin secured a ball that was hit by Dustin Peterson. However, he threw the ball low toward first baseman Travis Blankenhorn but the ball popped out of his glove and Peterson was safe. An error was charged to Blankenhorn. Drew Ellis popped out toward Travis Blankenhorn, who made the catch that ended the inning.
At the top of the fourth, Rochester got on the scoreboard. Bailey Falter gave up a single to Nomar Mazara with Jake Noll up next. Noll doubled on a line drive to center field which scored Mazara. It was now 3-1 Lehigh Valley with nobody out. Then, Falter threw 12 pitches to get the next three outs without allowing another run.
That was it for Falter. He pitched four innings, allowing three hits, one run, two walks, and three strikeouts in 74 pitches, of which 44 were strikes. Jeremy Walker took over for Falter at the top of the fifth inning.
Moving to the top of the sixth inning, Luis Ortiz was the new pitcher for Lehigh Valley. There was a scary incident to start the inning. Nomar Mazara hit a fly ball to left field. Simon Muzziotti twisted his left knee trying to make the catch at the wall in left field and went down.
He did not catch the ball and Kingery had to rush over to retrieve the ball while Mazara ran to third base for a triple. Muzziotti was down for a couple of minutes. Muzziotti got up and the trainer looked at him. Muzziotti stayed in the game. Luis Ortiz got the next two outs.
Drew Millas was next. He brought Mazara home with an RBI single to right field. It was now 3-2 Lehigh Valley. Then, Ortiz struck out Jeter Downs which ended the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Odalvi Javier walked Simon Muzziotti. He had gingerly walked to home plate. After Scott Kingery flew out to left fielder Jake Noll, Muzziotti was replaced with Cal Stevenson. Stevenson got caught stealing second base and Rafael Marchan popped out to third baseman Jake Alu which ended the inning.
Moving to the bottom of the eighth inning, Lehigh Valley added an insurance run. Tyler Danish was new the pitcher for Rochester. Jake Cave started the inning with a single, followed by Danish walking Dustin Peterson. Next, he walked Drew Ellis which loaded the bases for Cal Stevenson. Stevenson brought Cave home with a sacrifice fly to center field. It was now 4-2 Lehigh Valley. Scott Kingery had a chance to keep the inning going but he hit into a double play that ended the inning.
Ben Bowden attempted to close out the game for Lehigh Valley at the top of the ninth inning. He walked Jeter Downs to begin the inning before getting a pair of flyouts from Richie Martin and Alex Call. Next, Bowden gave up a single to Jake Alu and walked Franmil Reyes which loaded the bases for Nomar Mazara.
Mazara hit a single on a fly ball to left field which scored Downs and Martin. The game was now tied 4-4. Jake Noll had a chance to put Rochester up but Bowden struck him out which ended the inning. It was now Bowden’s second blown save of the season.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Rochester pitcher Tyler Danish hit Lehigh Valley catcher Rafael Marchan. Next, Danish struck out Jim Haley with John Hicks due up to bat. Danish threw a hanging breaking ball and Hicks got all of it for a walk-off two-run home run to left field.
Lehigh Valley defeated the Red Wings by the final score of 6-4. The home run went 446 feet. It was Hicks’s third home run of the season and 23rd RBI of the year. In addition, Hicks is the fifth different Lehigh Valley player to hit a walk-off win.
Lehigh Valley finished the night with seven hits, 0-3 with runners in scoring position, and left five men on base. Ben Bowden, despite blowing a save earned his second win of the season for Lehigh Valley, while Tyler Danish lost his second game of the year for Rochester.
Game five between the IronPigs and Red Wings is on Sunday at 6:35 pm on MiLB.com. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo. Also, pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
