The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (26-32) continued their six-game homestand on Thursday night against the Buffalo Bisons (30-30) from Coca-Cola Park. Lehigh Valley pitcher Kolby Allard (0-4, 10.71 ER) was on the mound making his first start since May 7th against Buffalo’s Beau Sulser (1-3, 9.35 ERA). In Reading, Allard went 0-1, pitching 8.2 innings, an 8.31 ERA giving up eight hits, eight earned runs, three home runs, two walks, and ten strikeouts in three games.
At the top of the second inning, a throwing error on a pickoff attempt by Lehigh Valley pitcher Kolby Allard moved Riley Tirotta to second base. Then, Buffalo first baseman Michael Turconi hit an RBI single to center field scoring Riley Tirotta for a 1-0 lead.
Moving to the top of the fourth inning, Lehigh Valley pitcher Kolby Allard loaded the bases with one out for Cam Eden. Eden hit the toward left fielder Simon Muzziotti, who made the catch as Addison Barger sprinted for home plate. Muzziotti made a great throw to catcher Aramis Garcia beating Barger by a mile as Garcia tagged him out to complete an inning-ending double play.
It was Muzziotti’s tenth outfield assist of the season and the sixth assist in his last ten games. Lehigh Valley starter Kolby Allard pitched five innings, allowing six hits, one run, two walks, and two strikeouts throwing 79 pitches, of which 48 were strikes.
Beau Burrows was the new Lehigh Valley pitcher at the top of the sixth inning. Buffalo second baseman Orelvis Martinez hit Burrows’s slider for a solo home run over the wall at left field extending Buffalo’s lead to 2-0. With two outs and runners on second and third base, Burrows struck out Cam Eden to end the inning. Beau Burrows pitched 1.2 innings, allowing two hits, one run, three walks, and two strikeouts throwing 37 pitches, of which 23 were strikes.
In the bottom of the sixth inning with one out, Lehigh Valley first baseman Jim Haley hit Paxton Schultz’s cutter for a solo home run over the wall at left field and the score was now 2-1 Buffalo. It was Haley’s first home run of the season and sixth RBI of the year. It was also the first hit of the game for Lehigh Valley.
Two batters later with two outs, Lehigh Valley designated hitter Jordan Luplow hit Schultz’s cutter for the solo home run onto the berm at center field, and the game was tied 2-2. It was Luplow’s ninth home run of the season and 29th RBI of the year.
After Lehigh Valley right fielder Cody Roberts hit his third double of the season, catcher Aramis Garcia struck out swinging which ended the inning. Lehigh Valley pitcher Tyler Gilbert (1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K) pitched the top of the seventh inning with two outs and the eighth inning throwing 24 pitches, of which 14 were strikes.
At the top of the eighth inning with one out, Buffalo catcher Brian Serven hit Gilbert’s sinker for a solo home run onto the berm at center field and the score was now 3-2 Buffalo. With two outs and runners on first and second base, Gilbert got Will Robertson to ground out toward second baseman Esteban Quiroz for the final out of the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Lehigh Valley had a runner on first base when designated hitter Jordan Luplow hit Hagen Danner’s slider for a two-run home run over the wall at right-center field to take a 4-3 lead. It was Luplow’s 10th home run of the season and 31st RBI of the year. With two outs, Cody Roberts struck out swinging to end the inning.
Yunior Marte was the new Lehigh Valley pitcher at the top of the ninth inning. With one out and runners on first and second base, Buffalo first baseman Riley Tirotta hit an RBI single to center field scoring Nathan Lukes, and the game was tied 4-4. Marte got the last two outs to send the game into extra innings. Marte (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K) threw 15 pitches, of which eight were strikes.
Zac Houston was the new Lehigh Valley pitcher at the top of the tenth inning with Buffalo shortstop Michael Turconi at second base. With runners on first and second base, Buffalo center fielder Steward Berroa hit a two-run RBI single to center field scoring Turconi and Cam Eden to take a 6-4 lead. Berroa got caught stealing second base and Houston struck out Will Robertson and a lineout by Nathan Lukes ended the inning. Houston (1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 K) threw 14 pitches, of which 9 were strikes.
Nick Fraze was pitching for Buffalo in the bottom of the tenth inning with Lehigh Valley shortstop Trevor Schwecke at second base. Lehigh Valley center fielder Cal Stevenson hit an RBI single to right field scoring Schwecke and the score was now 6-5 Buffalo.
Lehigh Valley third baseman Nick Podkul was up to bat. With the count 3-2, Podkul hit Fraze’s sinker for a game-winning two-run home run over the wall at right-center field for a 7-6 win over the Buffalo Bisons. It was Podkul’s fourth home run of the season and 17th RBI of the year.
With the win, the IronPigs have now won five consecutive games. Lehigh Valley finished the night with seven hits and committed one error. The win went to Lehigh Valley pitcher Zac Houston for his second win of the season while the loss went to Buffalo pitcher Nick Fraze.
Lehigh Valley and Buffalo play game four of the six-game series on Friday at 7:05 pm on MiLB.TV. Purchase IronPigs tickets for the 2024 season today on StubHub and Viagogo. Also, pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics and Rally House.
