The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (18-7) and the Columbus Clippers (12-11) played in game four of a six-game series on Friday night from Coca-Cola Park. Kyle Tyler (1-2, 3.98 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Will Dion (0-1, 3.09 ERA) of Columbus.
Lehigh Valley center fielder Brandon Marsh got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning when he hit an RBI single to left field scoring Justin Crawford for a 1-0 lead. Next, Lehigh Valley catcher Garrett Stubbs hit a bunt single to second baseman Yordys Valdes scoring Otto Kemp for a 2-0 lead.
Then, Lehigh Valley right fielder Óscar Mercado hit an RBI single to center field scoring Brandon Marsh and it was now 3-0 IronPigs. An RBI single by Erick Brito and a sacrifice fly by Rodolfo Castro made it 5-0. Erick Brito went 3 for 3 with a single, a walk, and one RBI.
At the top of the fourth inning, a fielding error by Lehigh Valley starter Kyle Tyler allowed Columbus to score two runs and it was now 5-2 Lehigh Valley. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Lehigh Valley right fielder Óscar Mercado hit Andrew Misiaszek’s slider for a solo home run 341 feet to left field and it was now 6-2 IronPigs.
It was Mercado’s second home run of the season. With the bases loaded, Lehigh Valley third baseman Otto Kemp cleared them with a three-run double to blow the game open 9-2. Kemp finished the night 4 for 5 with three doubles and three RBIs. At the top of the seventh inning, an RBI groundout by Columbus center fielder Will Brennan made it 9-3.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Lehigh Valley left fielder Cade Fergus put an exclamation point hitting David Leon’s slider for a two-run home run 389 feet to left field and the IronPigs defeated the Columbus Clippers by the final score of 11-3.
It was Fergus’s second home run of the season. Lehigh Valley has now won five consecutive games and are 11 games over .500. The 18-7 record is the best start for Lehigh Valley in franchise history through 25 games of the season.
Lehigh Valley starter Kyle Tyler earned his second win of the season pitching six innings, allowing two hits, two runs, four walks, and eight strikeouts throwing 95 pitches, of which 56 were strikes. The loss went to Columbus starter Will Dion.
The IronPigs and Clippers play game five on Saturday at 6:35 pm. Purchase IronPigs tickets today on StubHub and Viagogo.
