The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (40-16) and the Norfolk Tides (20-35) played a second doubleheader on Saturday afternoon from Harbor Park. In Game 1, Kyle Tyler (5-2, 3.35 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Trevor Rogers (0-2, 8.10 ERA).
At the top of the second inning, Lehigh Valley third baseman Erick Brito grounded into a 4-6-3 double play scoring Cal Stevenson for a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the third inning, former IronPig Vimael Machín hit Tyler’s cutter for a two-run home run at 392 feet to center field making it 2-1 Norfolk.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Norfolk catcher David Bañuelos hit an RBI double to left field scoring Fernando Peguero extending their lead to 3-1. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Norfolk right fielder Fernando Peguero grounded into a fielder’s choice scoring Hudson Haskin for a 4-1 lead.
At the top of the sixth inning, Lehigh Valley catcher Payton Henry hit an RBI single to right field scoring Christian Arroyo cutting Norfolk’s lead in half 4-2. It was his 17th RBI of the season.
At the top of the seventh inning, Lehigh Valley left fielder Otto Kemp hit an RBI single to right field scoring Rodolfo Castro and it was now 4-3 Norfolk. Then, Lehigh Valley designated hitter Christian Arroyo hit an RBI double to center field scoring Gabriel Rincones Jr. and the game was tied 4-4. Oscar Mercado grounded into an inning-ending double play.
At the top of the eighth inning, Lehigh Valley catcher Payton Henry hit an RBI single to right field scoring Oscar Mercado for the 5-4 lead. Michael Mercado closed out the game for Lehigh Valley in the bottom of the eighth inning. He picked up the final three outs and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs came back to beat the Norfolk Tides by the final score of 5-4.
Christian Arroyo finished the game going 3 for 4 with two singles, a double, and one RBI, while Payton Henry went 3 for 4 with three singles and two RBIs.
Lehigh Valley starter Kyle Tyler pitched 4.1 innings, allowing six hits, four runs, two walks, and four strikeouts throwing 87 pitches, of which 53 were strikes. The win went to Lehigh Valley relief pitcher Michael Mercado for his first win of the season. He pitched two innings, allowing two hits, one walk, and two strikeouts throwing 24 pitches, of which 13 were strikes. The loss went to Norfolk relief pitcher Kade Strowd.
In Game 2, Austin Schulfer (2-0, 4.22 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Roansy Contreras (2-1, 5.27 ERA) of Norfolk. The game was delayed for hours due to weather and started at 9:05 pm.
At the top of the second inning, a fielder’s choice by Oscar Mercado scored Cal Stevenson for a 1-0 lead. At the top of the third inning, Lehigh Valley third baseman Otto Kemp hit Contreras’s sinker for a solo home run at 412 feet to left-center field for a 2-0 lead. It was Kemp’s 13th home run of the season.
Later, first baseman Christian Arroyo hit an RBI single to left field scoring Buddy Kennedy for a 3-0 lead. At the top of the fourth inning, Lehigh Valley center fielder Justin Crawford hit an RBI single to right field scoring Rodolfo Castro for a 4-0 lead. Crawford finished the night 3 for 4 with three singles, one RBI, and two stolen bases.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Norfolk third baseman Terrin Vavra hit an RBI single to right field scoring Luis Vazquez cutting Lehigh Valley’s lead to 4-1. At the top of the seventh inning, Lehigh Valley third baseman Otto Kemp brought Justin Crawford home with a sacrifice fly which made it 5-1.
Lucas Sims pitched for Lehigh Valley in the final two innings. He walked three batters and one strikeout throwing 31 pitches, of which 16 were strikes to get the final six outs of the game to earn his first save of the season. The IronPigs defeated the Tides in Game 2 by the final score of 5-1.
Lehigh Valley starter pitched two innings, allowing two hits, one walk, and one strikeout throwing 26 pitches, of which 15 were strikes. The win went to Lehigh Valley relief pitcher Nicholas Padilla. He pitched 2.2 innings, allowing three hits, one run, one walk, and three strikeouts throwing 42 pitches, of which 25 were strikes. The loss went to Norfolk starter Roansy Contreras.
The IronPigs and Tides conclude the six-game series on Sunday at 1:05 pm. Purchase IronPigs tickets today on StubHub and Viagogo.
