The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (53-48, 17-11) and the Buffalo Bisons (52-51, 18-10) played game two on Wednesday night from Coca-Cola Park. The IronPigs lead the series 1-0.
Tyler Phillips (0-0, 0.00 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley making his debut against Buffalo’s Paxton Schultz (1-3, 3.92 ERA). Phillips pitched 82.1 innings for the Reading Fightin’ Phils this year with a 4-5 record, 5.03 ERA, allowing 84 hits, 48 runs, 46 earned runs, 12 home runs, two hit batsmen, and 30 walks in 17 games, of which 16 were starts.
Tyler Phillips got off to a rough start at the top of the first inning. He gave up back-to-back singles to Nathan Lukes and Rafael Lantigua, followed by walking Spencer Horwitz which loaded the bases for Davis Schneider.
Schneider grounded toward third baseman Drew Ellis, who made a side-arm throw to catcher Rafael Marchan for the first out. Then, Luis De Los Santos hit the ball toward Drew Ellis, who stepped on the third base bag before throwing the ball to first baseman Darick Hall to complete an inning-ending double play.
At the top of the second inning, Orelvis Martinez started the inning with a double. Then, Tanner Morris moved Martinez to third base with a ground out toward shortstop Weston Wilson, who threw the ball to first baseman Darick Hall for the first out. Then, Phillips got a ground out from Stevie Berman, followed by a fly out from Mason McCoy which ended the inning.
Moving to the top of the third inning, Buffalo struck first. Tyler Phillips gave up a single to Nathan Lukes, followed by striking out Rafael Lantigua. Next, Phillips gave up a single to Spencer Horwitz which moved Lukes to third base. Then, a sacrifice fly by Davis Schneider brought home Nathan Lukes for a 1-0 lead with two outs.
After hitting Luis De Los Santos, Orelvis Martinez put the ball down for a base hit on a one-hopper to left fielder Kody Clemens. Clemens scooped up the ball and threw a laser at catcher Rafael Marchan to tag Spencer Horwitz out at home plate to end the inning.
In the bottom of the third inning, Lehigh Valley center fielder Cal Stevenson started the inning with a single on a sharp line drive to right field. Jim Haley was next. During Haley’s at-bat, Stevenson stole second base. Jim Haley grounded out to shortstop Mason McCoy and Kody Clemens flies out toward left fielder Davis Schneider for the second out.
Weston Wilson was next. He put the ball down for a base hit off the glove of second baseman Tanner Morris and into center field. Cal Stevenson scored from second base to tie the game 1-1. Darick Hall had a chance to keep the inning going but flies out toward center fielder Rafael Lantigua which ended the inning.
At the top of the fourth inning, Tyler Phillips walked Tanner Morris to begin the inning. Two batters later, he gave up a single to Mason McCoy, followed by walking Nathan Lukes which loaded the bases for Rafael Lantigua.
Lantigua hit the ball toward shortstop Weston Wilson, who tossed the ball to second baseman Scott Kingery for the forceout at second base but Tanner Morris scored to put Buffalo back up 2-1. After walking Spencer Horwitz, Phillips got Davis Schneider to ground out toward shortstop Weston Wilson, who threw the ball to first baseman Darick Hall which ended the inning.
That was it for Phillips. He had an ok debut pitching four innings, allowing seven hits, two runs, four walks, and two strikeouts in 75 pitches, of which 43 were strikes. Phillips needs to work on throwing the ball in the strike zone and not hitting the dirt.
Jeremy Walker was the new Lehigh Valley pitcher at the top of the sixth inning. He gave up back-to-back singles to Orelvis Martinez and Tanner Morris with one out before getting Stevie Berman to ground into an inning-ending double play. Walker pitched one more inning pitching two innings, allowing two hits, and one strikeout in 20 pitches, of which 16 were strikes.
Buffalo pitcher Paxton Schultz walked Scott Kingery in the bottom of the fifth inning. Cal Stevenson was next. During his at-bat, Kingery stole second base but Stevenson was called out on strikes. Next, Jim Haley flies out toward left fielder Davis Schneider, and Kody Clemens struck out swinging which ended the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Lehigh Valley threatened again to tie the game. Darick Hall put the ball down for a base hit to center field with one out. Two batters later with two outs, Paxton Shultz walked Drew Ellis which led the Bisons to change pitchers with Rowan Wick replacing Shultz. Rafael Marchan was next but he was called out on strikes which ended the inning.
Ben Bowden was the new Lehigh Valley pitcher at the top of the seventh inning. Bowden walked Luis De Los Santos and Orelvis Martinez with two outs.
Then, Tanner Morris struck out swinging but Marchan did not securely hold onto the ball when it hit the dirt. Morris ran to first base and Marchan went to throw the ball to Darick Hall but it hit Morris’s back and Santos scored from second base for a 3-1 lead. Stevie Berman was next but Bowden struck him out which ended the inning. Bowden threw 27 pitches, of which 14 were strikes.
Braden Zarbnisky was the new Lehigh Valley pitcher at the top of the eighth inning. He walked Rafael Lantigua with two outs before getting Spencer Horwitz to fly out toward center fielder Cal Stevenson for the final out of the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Lehigh Valley had a chance to get back into the game. Dustin Peterson and Drew Ellis hit singles with two outs but Rafael Marchan struck out swinging which ended the inning.
Andrew Bellatti was the new Lehigh Valley pitcher at the top of the ninth inning. Bellatti hit Luis De Los Santos with one out. Two batters later with two outs, Tanner Morris put the ball down for a base hit to right field. Cam Eden was next pinch-hitting for Stevie Berman.
Bellatti walked Eden, followed by Mason McCoy clearing the bases with a three-run double to center field. It was now 6-1 Buffalo. Bellatti got Nathan Lukes to ground out toward shortstop Weston Wilson, who threw the ball to first baseman Darick Hall which ended the inning.
Lehigh Valley had one more chance in the bottom of the ninth inning. Brandon Eisert was the new pitcher for Buffalo. Scott Kingery hit a single to left field, followed by a double from Aramis Garcia to left field moving Kingery to third base with one out. It was Garcia’s seventh double of the year.
Two batters later with one out, Kody Clemens put the ball down for a double to left field which scored Kingery and Garcia which made it 6-3 Buffalo. It was Clemens’s fourth double of the season and 17th RBI of the year. Unfortunately, Lehigh Valley could not follow up when Weston Wilson and Darick Hall both grounded out which ended the game. The IronPigs lost to the Bison by the final score of 6-3. The series is now even at one apiece.
Lehigh Valley’s offense had ten hits but struggled to generate runs for most of the game. They went 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base. Lehigh Valley pitcher Taylor Phillips lost his first game of the year, and Paxton Shultz won his second game of the season for Buffalo.
The IronPigs and Bisons play game three on Thursday 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.
