The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (45-43) visited Fifth Third Field on Tuesday night to begin a six-game road trip against the Toledo Mud Hens (39-51).
This is the second time these two teams have played each other. The two met last month in Lehigh Valley where the IronPigs took two of six games from the Mud Hens.
T.J. Zeuch (3-4, 5.26 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley making his 12th start of the season against Toledo’s Alex Faedo (0-2, 3.80 ERA).
At the top of the first inning, Jake Cave hit the ball high that went off the wall at right field. Cave hustled toward third base losing his helmet in the process before diving head-first into the third base bag. It was Cave’s first triple of the season. Kody Clemens was next. He put the ball down for a base hit at right field which scored Cave for a 1-0 lead with nobody out.
Weston Wilson stepped up to the plate for his turn to bat. However, the Mud Hens got a double play when Faedo struck out Wilson and Donny Sands caught Clemens stealing second base. Simon Muzziotti was next but he was called out on strikes which ended the inning.
In the bottom of the third inning, Toledo tied the game 1-1 when Grant Witherspoon hit T.J. Zeuch’s sinker for a solo home run into the seats at right field. It was the seventh home run given up by Zeuch, six of them came against left-handed batters.
Two batters later with one out, Zeuch gave up a double to Parker Meadows. Zeuch got out of the inning by getting back-to-back groundouts from Nick Solak and Colt Keith.
Moving to the top of the seventh inning, Braden Bristo was the new pitcher for Toledo with Weston Wilson up first. Wilson hit Bristo’s fastball for a solo home run over the wall at left field. Lehigh Valley led 2-1 and it was Wilson’s 21st home run of the year and 59th RBI of the season.
Two batters later, Jordan Qsar doubled on a sharp line drive to left field with one out. It was Qsar’s tenth double of the year. However, Rafael Marchan flies out to left fielder Grant Witherspoon, and then Esteban Quiroz lined out toward center fielder Parker Meadows for the final out of the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Lehigh Valley pitcher T.J. Zeuch got back-to-back groundouts from Joe Rizzo and Donny Sands before getting Johan Camargo to line out toward left fielder Simon Muzziotti that ended the inning.
That was it for Zeuch, who retired ten straight batters. Zeuch pitched a solid game allowing four hits, one run, and three strikeouts in 90 pitches, of which 58 were strikes. Jace Vines was the new Lehigh Valley pitcher in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Vines walked Grant Witherspoon, followed by a single from Andrew Knapp with Parker Meadows up to bat. Next, Vines threw a wild pitch which moved both runners up a base. Meadows brought Witherspoon home with a sacrifice fly to left fielder Simon Muzziotti. The game was tied 2-2.
After walking Nick Solak, Vines was replaced by Luis Ortiz. Ortiz faced Colt Keith. Keith brought Knapp home with a sacrifice fly to right fielder Cal Stevenson. Ortiz struck out Tyler Nevin which ended the inning.
Lehigh Valley had one more chance at the top of the ninth inning. They had to face Matt Wisler. Wisler walked Kody Clemens to start the inning, followed by a groundout from Weston Wilson which moved Clemens to second base.
Simon Muzziotti was next with one out. Muzziotti put the ball down for a base hit to center field. Toledo center fielder Parker Meadows and right fielder Nick Solak were chasing the ball but it was deflected by Solak and Clemens scored which tied the game 3-3. Muzziotti went to second base and an error was charged to Solak.
Jordan Qsar was next. During his at-bat, Wisler tried to pick off Muzziotti but the ball went by second baseman Colt Keith and Muzziotti ran to third base. Then, Wisler threw a wild pitch with Qsar swinging for the strikeout but Muzziotti scored.
It was now 4-3 Lehigh Valley with two outs. After a single by Rafael Marchan, Esteban Quiroz grounded out toward second baseman Colt Keith for the final out of the inning.
Luis Ortiz remained the IronPigs pitcher in the bottom of the ninth inning. Ortiz gave up a single to Donny Sands with one out. Toledo substituted Corey Joyce as the pinch-runner. Next, Ortiz struck out Johan Camargo, followed by a ground out from Grant Witherspoon toward Ortiz for the final out of the game. After the game, both benches cleared after Ortiz argued with Parker Meadows but no punches were thrown.
Lehigh Valley survived to beat the Mud Hens by the final score of 4-3. They have now won five consecutive games and are 6-4 in their last ten games. The IronPigs finished the night with six hits, went 2 for 5 with runners in scoring position, and left three men on base. Luis Ortiz won his second game of the season, and the loss went to Toledo pitcher Matt Wisler.
Game two between the IronPigs and Mud Hens is 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.
