The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (44-22) played game three against the Worcester Red Sox (36-29) on Thursday night at Coca-Cola Park. Gabe Mosser (1-1, 6.00 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Richard Fitts (0-0, 12.00 ERA) of Worcester.
At the top of the first inning, Worcester center fielder Jhostynxon Garcia hit Mosser’s curveball for a two-run home run at 409 feet to center field to take a 2-0 lead. It was his sixth home run of the season.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Lehigh Valley left fielder Oscar Mercado hit a two-run RBI double to left field scoring Garrett Stubbs and Keaton Anthony to tie the game 2-2. It was Mercado’s eighth double of the season.
Later, Lehigh Valley second baseman Rafael Lantigua hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Oscar Mercado to take a 3-2 lead. Then, shortstop Rodolfo Castro hit an RBI single to center field scoring Gabriel Rincones Jr. extending their lead to 4-2.
Moving ahead to the bottom of the eighth inning, Lehigh Valley poured it on. First baseman Keaton Anthony hit an RBI single to center field scoring Buddy Kennedy for a 5-2 lead. Next, right field Gabriel Rincones Jr. hit a two-run RBI single to right field scoring Garrett Stubbs making it 7-2.
Lehigh Valley second baseman Rafael Lantigua hit an RBI single to left field scoring Oscar Mercado for an 8-2 lead. The hits continued when Lehigh Valley third baseman Erick Brito hit an RBI double to left field scoring Gabriel Rincones Jr. and it was now 9-2. Lehigh Valley shortstop Rodolfo Castro cleared the bases hitting Jose Adames’s sinker for a three-run home run at 352 feet to left field for a 12-2 lead. It was Castro’s fifth home run of the season.
Seth Johnson closed out the game for Lehigh Valley at the top of the ninth inning. He gave up a home run to Vaughn Grissom and made it 12-3. Johnson also walked two batters, and three strikeouts throwing 15 pitches, of which nine were strikes. The Lehigh Valley ended a five-game losing streak defeating the Worcester Red Sox by the final score of 12-3. With the win, the magic number to clinch the First-Half Division is now six games.
Lehigh Valley shortstop Rodolfo Castro finished the night going 2 for 4 with a single, a home run, a stolen base, and four RBIs, while Oscar Mercado went 3 for 5 with two singles, a double, and two RBIs. Second baseman Rafael Lantigua went 1 for 4 with a single and three RBIs.
The win went to Lehigh Valley starter Gabe Mosser for his second win of the season. He pitched 5.1 innings, allowing three hits, two runs, three walks, and four strikeouts throwing 82 pitches, of which 50 were strikes. The loss went to Worcester starter Richard Fitts.
The IronPigs and Red Sox play game four on Friday at 7:05 pm. Purchase IronPigs tickets today on StubHub and Viagogo.
