The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (74-62, 38-25) and the Buffalo Bisons (70-66, 36-35) met for the final time of the season on Sunday afternoon from Sahlen Field. The IronPigs led the series 3-2 looking to add one more win to the column.
There was one transaction that took place before the game as the IronPigs released RHP T.J. Zeuch and activated RHP Drew Hutchison, who was on the Development List.
Drew Hutchison (4-3, 5.86 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley making his 14th start of the season against Buffalo’s Andrew Bash (3-1, 2.29 ERA).
After two scoreless innings, Buffalo struck first in the bottom of the third inning. Drew Hutchison gave up back-to-back singles to Cam Eden and Nathan Lukes. Next, he walked Rafael Lantigua to load the bases for Damiano Palmegiani.
On a first-pitch slider, Palmegiani hit it for a grand slam over the wall at left field for a 4-0 lead. The home run went 360 feet with an exit velocity of 102.2 mph.
Then, Hutchison gave up a single to Addison Barger followed by walking Luis De Los Santos. Hutchison would load the bases again after giving up a base hit to Tanner Morris. However, he got out of the inning when Leo Jimenez grounded toward shortstop Weston Wilson for the force out at second base.
Lehigh Valley would get one of those runs back at the top of the fourth inning. Kody Clemens started the inning hitting his tenth double of the season to left field. Next, Weston Wilson moved Clemens to third base with a flyout toward center fielder Cam Eden.
Darick Hall was next. He brought Clemens home with a groundout toward first baseman Damiano Palmegiani that made it 4-1 Buffalo. It was Hall’s 50th RBI of the season. Dustin Peterson struck out swinging which ended the inning.
Buffalo threatened to add more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Hutchison walked Luis De Los Santos and Tanner Morris with one out. Next, Leo Jimenez moved Santos to third base with a flyout toward right fielder Dustin Peterson.
Then, Hutchison got Jamie Richie to chase his slider for the strikeout to end the inning. That was it for Hutchison. He pitched five innings, allowing six hits, four runs, five walks, and four strikeouts in 97 pitches, of which 58 were strikes.
Lehigh Valley chipped away at the Bison’s lead at the top of the sixth inning. With one out, Kody Clemens hit his fourth triple of the season to center field after Cam Eden tripped on his own two feet while the ball rolled toward the center field wall.
Weston Wilson was next. He hit his 19th double of the season to left field that brought Clemens home which made it 4-2 Buffalo. It was Wilson’s 85th RBI of the year.
Two batters later, Dustin Peterson put the ball down for his 15th double of the year to left field which brought Wilson home and it was now 4-3 Buffalo. It was Peterson’s 53rd RBI of the season. Simon Muzziotti was next. He grounded toward first baseman Damiano Palmegiani for the final out of the inning.
Brett Schulze was the new Lehigh Valley pitcher in the bottom of the sixth inning. He gave up a single to Rafael Lantigua with two outs before striking out Damiano Palmegiani with a slider that ended the inning. That was it for Schultze, who pitched one inning, allowing one hit and two strikeouts in 13 pitches, of which nine were strikes.
Lehigh Valley had a chance to tie the game at the top of the seventh inning. Connor Cooke was the new pitcher for Buffalo. Aramis Garcia started the inning putting the ball down for a base hit to left field. Next, Cooke walked Cal Stevenson with nobody out.
Cooke got Drew Ellis to fly out toward right fielder Addison Barger, followed by striking out Scott Kingery, and a flyout by Kody Clemens toward center fielder Cam Eden, who made the catch and the inning was over.
Tyler McKay was the new Lehigh Valley pitcher in the bottom of the seventh inning. He struck out Addison Barger before getting back-to-back groundouts from Luis De Los Santos and Tanner Morris which ended the inning. McKay threw 11 pitches, of which nine were strikes.
Buffalo would add insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Hector Perez was the new Lehigh Valley pitcher. Perez walked Leo Jimenez to start the inning. Three batters later with two outs, Perez gave up a single to Nathan Lukes moving Jimenez to second base with Rafael Lantigua up to bat.
Lantigua hit Perez’s fastball for a two-run double to left field scoring Jimenez and Lukes for a 6-3 lead. Then, Perez got Damiano Palmegiani to groundout toward shortstop Weston Wilson, who made the throw to first baseman Darick Hall that ended the inning.
Lehigh Valley had one more chance at the top of the ninth inning. Rowan Wick was the new pitcher for Buffalo. Simon Muzziotti started the inning with a groundout toward second baseman Mason McCoy for the first out. Next, Aramis Garcia flew out toward center fielder Cam Eden before Cal Stevenson struck out swinging and the game was over.
The IronPigs lose the series finale to the Bison by the final score of 6-3. They split the series 3-3 but take the overall season series 11-7.
Lehigh Valley finished the afternoon with seven hits, went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position, and left four men on base. Lehigh Valley pitcher Drew Hutchison lost his sixth game of the season, while Andrew Bash won his fourth game of the year for Buffalo.
The IronPigs will have one more road trip of the season starting Tuesday against the Rochester Red Wings at 6:05 pm on MiLB.com. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo. Also, pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
