The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (3-3) concluded the weekend at Innovative Field on Sunday for a doubleheader against the Rochester Red Wings (3-3). In game one, Mick Abel (0-0, 0.00 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Rochester’s D.J. Herz.
Lehigh Valley pitcher Mick Abel got off to a rocky start in the bottom of the first inning when he gave up a solo home run to Juan Yepez which put the Red Wings up 1-0. Lehigh Valley battled back at the top of the second inning. With the bases loaded, second baseman Scott Kingery hit Herz’s changeup for a single to left field tying the game 1-1. Then, center fielder Matt Kroon hit Herz’s changeup for a two-run single to left field giving the IronPigs a 3-1 lead.
However, Lehigh Valley could not hold onto the lead in the bottom of the second inning. Rochester tied the game 3-3 on a fielding error by second baseman Scott Kingery and a bases-loaded walk by Mick Abel. Mick Abel pitched 1.2 innings, allowing two hits, three runs, four walks, and two strikeouts in 60 pitches, of which 31 were strikes.
Moving ahead to the top of the seventh inning, Lehigh Valley took a 4-3 lead when Matt Kroon reached first base on a fielding error by Rochester second base Jake Alu after the ball bounced off his glove.
Andrew Bellatti closed out the game for Lehigh Valley in the bottom of the seventh inning. He hit Jackson Cluff before getting the next three outs to end the game and the IronPigs took game one with a 4-3 win.
The win went to Lehigh Valley pitcher Griff McGarry going two innings, allowing one hit, one walk, and two strikeouts in 18 pitches, of which 14 were strikes. The loss went to Rochester pitcher Joe La Sorsa, and Andrew Bellatti earned his first save of the season.
In game two, Lehigh Valley pitcher Tyler Phillips (0-0, 1.50 ERA) was on the mound against Rochester’s Spencer Watkins (1.0, 0.00 ERA).
In the bottom of the first inning, Rochester had runners on the corners with Juan Yepez batting against Tyler Phillips. Yepez grounded into a 5-4-3 double play with Alex Call scoring to put Rochester up 1-0. At the top of the second inning, Lehigh Valley second baseman Esteban Quiroz hit Watkins’s cutter for a two-run single to right field putting the IronPigs up 2-1.
In the bottom of the second inning, Rochester second baseman Darren Baker singled on a ground ball to shortstop Weston Wilson scoring Drew Millas tying the game 2-2. Then, Rochester center fielder Alex Call hit Phillips’s sinker for a three-run home run over the wall at left field for a 5-2 lead. Rochester would score two more runs in the next two innings by Jack Dunn and Travis Blankenhorn for a 7-2 lead.
Moving ahead to the top of the seventh inning, Lehigh Valley had a runner on third base when center fielder Cal Stevenson singled on a sharp line drive to right field scoring Simon Muzziotti cutting the Red Wings lead to 7-3.
Two batters later, Lehigh Valley shortstop Weston Wilson singled to left field scoring Stevenson which made it 7-4 Red Wings. Lehigh Valley first baseman Darick Hall had a chance to keep the game going but struck out swinging. The IronPigs lose game two to the Red Wings by the final score of 7-4.
The loss went to Lehigh Valley pitcher Tyler Phillips, who went 3.2 innings, allowing seven hits, seven runs, three walks, and four strikeouts in 94 pitches, of which 55 were strikes. The win went to Rochester pitcher Tim Cate (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K) throwing 28 pitches, of which 15 were strikes.
The IronPigs return to Coca-Cola Park to begin a six-game homestand against the Durham Bulls starting Tuesday at 6:45 pm on MiLB.TV. Purchase IronPigs tickets for the 2024 season today on StubHub and Viagogo. Also, pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
