The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (56-61) returned to Coca-Cola Park to start a 12-game homestand on Tuesday against the Rochester Red Wings (66-53). Lehigh Valley starter Tyler Phillips (7-3, 4.89 ERA) was on the mound against Rochester’s Thaddeus Ward (6-4, 5.31 ERA).
At the top of the second inning, Rochester had the bases loaded with two outs when Phillips walked Dylan Crews scoring Carter Kieboom and the Red Wings took a 1-0 lead. Rochester left fielder Darren Baker grounded into a forceout at second base and the inning was over.
At the top of the third inning, Rochester catcher Drew Millas hit Phillips’s sweeper for a solo home run over the wall at right field extending Rochester’s lead 2-0. The Red Wings did not score any more runs in the inning.
In the bottom of the third inning with two outs, Lehigh Valley designated hitter Kody Clemens hit Ward’s changeup for a solo home run clearing the wall at right-center field and the IronPigs trailed the Red Wings 2-1. It was Clemens’s 10th home run of the season and 40th RBI of the year. The home run went 399 feet with an exit velocity of 107.6 mph. Lehigh Valley left fielder Austin Hays struck out swinging and the inning was over.
At the top of the fourth inning, Rochester had runners on the corners with one out when center fielder Dylan Crews hit Phillips’s sinker for a three-run home run over the wall at right-center field extending Rochester’s lead 5-1. That was it for Tyler Phillips.
He was replaced by Alan Rangel. Rochester left fielder Darren Baker was caught stealing second base and a ground out by Drew Millas grounded out toward second baseman Jim Haley for the final out of the inning. Tyler Phillips (3.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 4 K) threw 70 pitches, of which 38 were strikes.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Lehigh Valley had the bases loaded when second baseman Jim Haley worked a four-pitch walk scoring Darick Hall and the IronPigs trailed the Red Wings 5-2. It was Haley’s 34th RBI of the season. Lehigh Valley did not add any more runs in the inning.
At the top of the fifth inning, Rochester had a runner on second base when Carter Kieboom hit an RBI single to center field scoring Brady House for a 6-2 lead. Rengel did not allow any more runs in the inning. Alan Rangel (2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K) threw 44 pitches, of which 26 were strikes.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Lehigh Valley had a runner on first base with two outs when right fielder Matt Kroon hit Jordan Weems’s fastball for a two-run home run onto the berm at left-center field and the IronPigs trailed the Red Wings 6-4. It was Kroon’s 10th home run of the season and 35th RBI of the year. The home run went 412 feet with an exit velocity of 107.1 mph.
A flyout by center fielder Ryan McKenna ended the inning. Griff McGarry was the pitcher for Lehigh Valley at the top of the seventh inning. McGarry (1.0 IP, 3 BB) threw 22 pitches, of which 7 were strikes.
Freddy Tarnok was the new pitcher for Lehigh Valley at the top of the eighth inning. Rochester had runners on first and second base with two outs when first baseman Joey Meneses hit Tarnok’s fastball for a three-run home run clearing the wall at right field for a 9-4 lead. Tarnok struck out Trey Lipscomb to end the inning.
Freddy Tarnok (1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 3 K) threw 23 pitches, of which 15 were strikes. Yunior Marte was the new pitcher for Lehigh Valley at the top of the ninth inning. Marte (1.0 IP, 1 BB) threw 14 pitches, of which 8 were strikes. In the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs, Lehigh Valley catcher Aramis Garcia struck out swinging and the game was over.
The IronPigs lost to the Red Wings 9-4. They finished the night with 6 hits and committed two errors. The loss went to Lehigh Valley starter Tyler Phillips for his fourth loss of the season while Rochester starter Thaddeus Ward won his seventh game of the season.
The IronPigs and Red Wings play game two on Wednesday at 7:05 pm on MiLB.TV. Purchase IronPigs tickets for the 2024 season today on StubHub and Viagogo.
