The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (61-41, 15-13) played game two on Wednesday afternoon against the Worcester Red Sox (52-51, 11-18) at Polar Park. Andrew Painter (3-3, 4.82 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Wyatt Mills (4-2, 3.26 ERA) of Worcester.
At the top of the fourth inning, Lehigh Valley catcher Payton Henry hit Wyatt Olds’s sinker for a two-run home run at 350 feet to right field. The IronPigs took a 2-0 lead. It was Henry’s seventh home run of the season.
Moving to the bottom of the fifth inning, Worcester second baseman Kristian Campbell hit an RBI single to center field. Tyler McDonough scored, and Lehigh Valley’s lead was now 2-1.
Lehigh Valley starter Andrew Painter pitched a good game. He went 6.1 innings, allowing seven hits, one run, two walks, and four strikeouts throwing 103 pitches, of which 65 were strikes.
Moving to the bottom of the eighth inning, Worcester designated hitter Nathan Hickey hit Phil Bickford’s four-seam fastball for an RBI single to right field. Kristian Campbell scored, and the game was tied 2-2. The game went to extra innings.
At the top of the tenth inning, Lehigh Valley shortstop Rodolfo Castro hit an RBI single to center field. Brewer Hicklen scored, and the IronPigs took a 3-2 lead. Then, Lehigh Valley catcher Payton Henry hit Jose Adames’s sinker for a two-run home run to right-center field for a 5-3 lead. It was Henry’s eighth home run of the season.
Nolan Hoffman pitched for Lehigh Valley in the bottom of the tenth inning. Worcester first baseman Blaze Jordan hit an RBI single to right field. Kristian Campbell scored, and Lehigh Valley’s lead was 5-3. With two outs, Hoffman got Nathan Hickey to fly out to center fielder Cal Stevenson for the final out of the game. The IronPigs defeated the Red Sox 5-3.
Lehigh Valley finished the game with nine hits, went 4 for 16 with runners in scoring position, and left 12 men on base. Lehigh Valley catcher Payton Henry went 2 for 4 with two home runs, a walk, and four RBIs. Lehigh Valley’s bullpen pitched three innings, allowing five hits, two runs, one walk, and two strikeouts.
The win went to Lehigh Valley relief pitcher Guillo Zuñiga. It was his third win of the season. He pitched one inning, allowing one hit and one strikeout throwing 22 pitches, of which 14 were strikes. Nolan Hoffman earned his second save of the season. He pitched one inning, allowing one hit, one run, and one strikeout throwing nine pitches, of which seven were strikes. The loss went to Worcester relief pitcher Jose Adames.
The IronPigs and Red Sox play game three on Thursday at 6:45 pm.
