The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (57-50, 21-13) and the Rochester Red Wings (52-56, 18-17) played game two of a six-game series on Wednesday night from Innovative Field. The IronPigs trailed the series 1-0.
Before the game, the Philadelphia Phillies sent RHP Luis Ortiz back to Lehigh Valley after the Phillies played a doubleheader on Tuesday.
Griff McGarry (0-0, 0.00 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley making his Triple-A debut against Rochester’s Alex Troop (0-0, 12.00 ERA).
McGarry is the Phillies’ No. 4 ranked prospect and was promoted to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on August 4th. McGarry pitched 54.2 innings with a 1-1, a 3.13 ERA, allowing 31 hits, 23 runs, 19 earned runs, four home runs, two hit batsmen, 36 walks, and 74 strikeouts in 13 games for the Reading Fightin’ Phils this year.
At the top of the first inning, Lehigh Valley center fielder Matt Kroon hit Troop’s fastball for a solo home run over the wall at the left-center field for a 1-0 lead. This was Kroon’s Triple-A debut. In Reading, he batted .319 with 53 runs, 95 hits, 24 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 44 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases in 298 at-bats playing 79 games for the Fightin’ Phils.
Next, Kody Clemens, Dustin Peterson, and Darick Hall all hit singles which loaded the bases for Drew Ellis. Ellis put the ball down for a base hit to right field which scored Clemens and Peterson for a 3-0 lead with nobody out. It was Ellis’s 35th RBI of the year.
Next, Jordan Qsar reached first base on a fielding error by first baseman Matt Adams and the bases were loaded again for Jim Haley. Haley put the ball down for a base hit to center field with Hall and Ellis scoring for a 5-0 lead. It was Haley’s 43rd RBI of the season.
After that, Rochester changed pitchers with Hobie Harris replacing Alex Troop. Two batters later with one out, Rafael Marchan singled on a line drive to center field. Jordan Qsar scored for a 6-0 lead. Then, Matt Krook put the ball down for a base hit to center field and Scott Kingery scored for a 7-0 lead. Kody Clemens and Dustin Peterson both popped out which ended the inning.
In the bottom of the first inning, Griff McGarry gave up a single to Darren Baker, followed by back-to-back walks to Luis Garcia and Carter Kieboom which loaded the bases for Travis Blankenhorn. Blankenhorn hit McGarry’s slider for a base hit to right field. Baker and Garcia scored. Lehigh Valley’s lead was 7-2.
Next, Drew Millas hit McGarry’s fastball for a base hit to center field with Kieboom and Blankenhorn scoring. It was now 7-4 Lehigh Valley. Then, Matt Adams popped out toward third baseman Drew Ellis before Jacob Nottingham grounded into a 5-4-3 inning-ending double play.
At the top of the second inning, Drew Ellis doubled on a line drive to left field with one out. Two batters later with two outs, Jim Haley hits Harris’s splitter for a two-run home run near the foul pole at left field for a 9-4 lead. It was Haley’s ninth home run of the season and 45th RBI of the year.
After Harris walked Scott Kingery, Rafael Marchan grounded out to second baseman Luis Garcia, who threw the ball to first baseman Matt Adams which ended the inning.
Moving ahead to the top of the third inning, Matt Kroon hit a double on a fly ball to left field. Then, Kody Clemens hit Luis Cessa’s changeup for a double on a fly ball to left field. Kroon rounded third base to score for a 10-4 lead.
Dustin Peterson was next. However, Cessa hit Peterson on the hand with Darick Hall up to bat. Hall hit Cessa’s fastball for a three-run home run over the right-center field wall for a 13-4 lead. It was Hall’s sixth home run of the season and 25th RBI of the year. The home run went 417 feet and the exit velocity was 102.6 mph.
Three batters later with two outs, Jim Haley put the ball down for a base hit to left field before Scott Kingery grounded into a forceout at second base which ended the inning.
In the bottom of the third inning, Lehigh Valley pitcher Griff McGarry gave up a single to Luis Garcia, followed by a line out from Carter Kieboom to left fielder Simon Muzziotti, who replaced Dustin Peterson. Next, Travis Blankenhorn hit McGarry’s fastball for a double on a fly ball to center field. Garcia scored and it was now 13-5 Lehigh Valley.
Then, Drew Millas doubled on a sharp line drive to center field with Blankenhorn scoring from second base. Lehigh Valley’s lead was down to 13-6. After McGarry threw a wild pitch which moved Millas to third base, Cody Wilson put the ball down for a base hit to center field and Millas scored. It was now 13-7 Lehigh Valley.
Two batters later with two outs, McGarry walked Jack Dunn. That was it for McGarry, who was replaced by Jeremy Walker. Walker gave up a base hit to Richie Martin and Wilson scored for a 13-8 Lehigh Valley lead. Lehigh Valley got out of the inning when Darren Baker flew out toward center fielder Matt Kroon which ended the inning.
Griff McGarry finished the night pitching 2.2 innings, allowing seven hits, eight runs, eight earned runs, three walks, and two strikeouts in 82 pitches, of which 49 were strikes.
Noah Skirrow was the new pitcher for Lehigh Valley at the bottom of the fourth inning. He gave up a double to Luis Garcia. Three batters later with two outs, Skirrow walked Drew Millas before getting Cody Wilson to line out toward shortstop Scott Kingery for the final out of the inning.
Moving ahead to the top of the sixth inning, Rochester pitcher Tim Cate walked Jim Haley to begin the inning. Then, during Scott Kingery’s at-bat, Haley stole second base. Kingery put the ball down for a base hit to right field moving Haley to third base.
Max McDowell was next making his Triple-A debut replacing Rafael Marchan. McDowell batted .210 with 20 runs, 37 hits, five home runs, 24 RBIs, 30 walks, and 52 strikeouts in 176 at-bats playing 56 games for the Reading Fightin’ Phils.
McDowell put the ball down for a base hit to left field scoring Haley that made it 14-8. McDowell tried to press his luck by running to second base but got caught for the first out. A line out by Matt Kroon and a Kody Clemens strikeout ended the inning.
Moving ahead to the bottom of the eighth inning, Braden Zarbnisky was the new pitcher for Lehigh Valley. Noah Skirrow went four innings, allowing four hits, two walks, and three strikeouts in 80 pitches, of which 44 were strikes.
With two outs, Zarbnisky gave up a double to Cody Wilson, followed by walking Jacob Nottingham with Jack Dunn up to bat. On a 2-1 count, Dunn hit Zarbnisky’s fastball for a three-run home run over the wall at left field. Lehigh Valley’s lead was down to 14-11. Then, Zarbnisky struck out Richie Martin which ended the inning.
Ben Bowden was the Lehigh Valley pitcher in the bottom of the ninth inning. He got Darren Baker to pop out toward shortstop Scott Kingery, a ground out from Luis Garcia, before walking Karter Kieboom. Travis Blankenhorn was next. He hit Bowden’s fastball for a two-run home run over the wall at right field. It was now 14-13 Lehigh Valley.
Drew Millas was next. He flew out toward center fielder Matt Kroon, who made the catch that ended the game. Lehigh Valley survived to beat the Red Wings by the final score of 14-13.
This was a crazy game and should not have gotten to this point. Griff McGarry was shaky in his debut but I hope he does better in his second start. If it weren’t for Lehigh Valley’s offense putting up 14 runs, this game would have been a blowout for Rochester because the bullpen continues to struggle to put batters away.
Out of the bullpen who had a good night, Noah Skirrow only allowed four hits but did not give up runs in his four innings pitched. He won his eighth game of the season for Lehigh Valley, and Alex Troop lost his first game of the year for Rochester. The IronPigs finished the night with 17 hits, went 10 of 19 with runners in scoring position, and left nine men on base.
The IronPigs and Red Wings play game three on Thursday at 6:45 pm on MiLB.com. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo. Also, pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
