The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (3-0) had the 2023 home opener on Tuesday night against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (1-3) at Coca-Cola Park for the first time this year.
Before the game started, the Phillies recalled RHP McKinley Moore and sent RHP Yunior Marte to Lehigh Valley. Noah Skirrow was on the mound for the IronPigs against Sean Boyle.
The IronPigs struck first in the bottom of the second inning with two outs as first baseman Jim Haley doubled on a sharp fly ball to center field, scoring Dalton Guthrie and Jordan Qsar for a 2-0 lead. IronPigs’ second baseman Esteban Quiroz grounded out to end the inning.
At the top of the fourth inning, the RailRiders tied the game 2-2 on a two-run home run by Jake Bauers on a fly ball out to center field. IronPigs’ starter Noah Skirrow pitched five innings, allowing four hits, two runs, one walk, and three strikeouts in 72 pitches, of which 45 were strikes in a no-decision.
In the bottom of the sixth inning with one out and a runner on second base. IronPigs’ right fielder Jordan Qsar hit a two-run home run on a fly ball out to right-center field for a 4-2 lead. Lehigh Valley were unable to add any more runs in the inning.
Moving ahead to the bottom of the eighth inning with one out and a runner on second base. IronPigs’ second baseman Esteban Quiroz added an insurance run on an RBI single to left field, scoring Jordan Qsar for a 5-2 lead.
Luis Ortiz closed out the game for the IronPigs at the top of the ninth inning. Ortiz gave up a double to Elijah Dunham followed by Oswald Peraza’s fly-out for one out and moved Dunham to third base. Then, Willie Calhoun grounded out to first baseman Jim Haley for the second out.
It was 5-3 IronPigs. Finally, Ortiz struck out Andres Chaparro to end the game. Ortiz earned his first save of the year. The IronPigs defeated the RailRiders by the final score of 5-3. The IronPigs extended their winning streak to three games.
The win went to Jake Jewell (1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO) and the loss went to Michael Gomez. The IronPigs were 3-10 with runners in scoring position and ten runners left on base.
The IronPigs and RailRiders will go at it again on Wednesday at 6:45 pm. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo, and pickup IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
