The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (63-46, 17-18) played a doubleheader on Wednesday against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (65-32, 27-8) from Coca-Cola Park. In game one, Aaron Nola (ML Rehab) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Erick Leal (7-7, 5.09 ERA) of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
At the top of the first inning, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre had the bases loaded. Designated hitter Jose Rojas worked a four-pitch walk, and Spencer Jones scored for a 1-0. In the bottom of the first inning, Lehigh Valley had runners on second and third base. Right fielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. hit an RBI groundout to first baseman T.J. Rumfield. Justin Crawford scored, and the game was tied 1-1. It was Rincones Jr.’s 49th RBI of the year.
Lehigh Valley starter Aaron Nola pitched 3.2 innings, allowing four hits, one run, two walks, and three strikeouts throwing 69 pitches, of which 40 were strikes.
In the bottom of the third inning, Lehigh Valley right fielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. hit Leal’s curveball for a three-run home run at 416 feet to center field for a 4-1 lead. It was Rincones Jr.’s 13th home run of the season.
Moving to the bottom of the fourth inning, Lehigh Valley shortstop Rodolfo Castro hit Leal’s slider for a two-run home run at 405 feet to left field. The IronPigs extended their lead to 6-1. It was Castro’s 13th home run of the season.
Next, Lehigh Valley center fielder Johan Rojas hit an RBI single to left field. Rafael Lantigua scored for a 7-1 lead. Then, catcher Garrett Stubbs hit a sacrifice fly to left field. Luis Verdugo scored to make it 8-1.
Lehigh Valley continued to pour it on in the bottom of the fifth inning. First baseman Luis Verdugo hit a two-run RBI single to center field. Brewer Hicklin and Donovan Walton scored for a 10-1 lead. Next, center fielder Johon Rojas hit an RBI single to center field. Rodolfo Castro scored for an 11-1 lead. Then, catcher Garrett Stubbs hit an RBI double to left field. Luis Verdugo scored for a 12-1 lead.
Devin Sweet pitched for Lehigh Valley at the top of the seventh inning. He pitched one inning with one strikeout throwing nine pitches, of which seven were strikes, to get the final three outs of the game. The IronPigs defeated the RailRiders 12-1 in game one.
Lehigh Valley finished game one with 11 hits, 5 for 12 with runners in scoring position, and left four men on base. Lehigh Valley’s bullpen pitched 3.1 innings, allowing one walk and three strikeouts. The win went to Lehigh Valley relief pitcher Michael Mercado. He pitched 1.1 innings, allowing one walk throwing 16 pitches, of which eight were strikes. The loss went to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter Erick Leal.
In game two, Ryan Cusick (0-0, 14.54 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Harrison Cohen (1-0, 1.29 ERA) of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Ryan Cusick pitched two innings, allowing one hit, one walk, and four strikeouts throwing 38 pitches, of which 24 were strikes.
In the bottom of the second inning, Lehigh Valley shortstop Donovan Walton hit an RBI single to right field. Gabriel Rincones Jr. scored for a 1-0 lead.
At the top of the third inning, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre first baseman T.J. Rumfield hit a two-run RBI double to right field. Jake Gatewood and Omar Martinez scored to give the RailRiders a 2-1 lead. Then, designated hitter J.C. Escarra hit a sacrifice fly to center field. Spencer Jones scored for a 3-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Lehigh Valley left fielder Cal Stevenson hit a bunt single to third baseman Jeimer Candelario. Candelario made a throwing error to first base, and Luis Verdugo scored. The IronPigs trailed the RailRiders 3-2.
Next, Lehigh Valley right fielder Brewer Hicklin hit an RBI single to center field. Justin Crawford scored, and the game was tied 3-3. Then, designated hitter Gabriel Rincones Jr. hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Cal Stevenson scored, and the IronPigs took a 4-3 lead.
At the top of the sixth inning, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre first baseman T.J. Rumfield hit Guillo Zuñiga’s slider for a solo home run at 396 feet to right field, and the game was tied 4-4. It was his 13th home run of the season.
The game went to extra innings. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Lehigh Valley had the bases loaded with one out, but first baseman Luis Verdugo grounded into an inning-ending double play.
At the top of the ninth inning, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre right fielder Bryan De La Cruz hit an RBI single to left field. Ismael Munguia scored, and the RailRiders took a 5-4 lead. Next, right fielder Jose Rojas hit a two-run RBI single to center field. Duke Ellis and Braden Shewmake scored for a 7-4 lead.
Infielder Rafael Lantigua pitched for Lehigh Valley. Then, a sacrifice fly by Spencer Jones scored Jose Rojas for an 8-4 lead. With the bases loaded, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre designated hitter Ismael Munguia hit Rafael Lantigua’s curveball for a grand slam at 369 feet to right field for a 12-4 lead.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Lehigh Valley had the bases loaded with nobody out. Right fielder Brewer Hicklin hit an RBI single to left field. Luis Verdugo scored, and it was now 12-5. Next, designated hitter Gabriel Rincones Jr. hit an RBI single to left field. Justin Crawford scored, and it was now 12-6.
Then, third baseman Rodolfo Castro hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Cal Stevenson scored, and with was now 12-7. An RBI single by shortstop Donovan Walton and a groundout by catcher Payton Henry cut the deficit to 12-9. Lehigh Valley could not complete the comeback as second baseman Robert Moore flies out to center fielder Spencer Jones for the final out of the game.
The IronPigs lose to the RailRiders 12-9. They finished the game with eight hits, went 5 for 12 with runners in scoring position, and left 10 men on base. Lehigh Valley’s bullpen pitched seven innings, allowing seven hits, 12 runs, six walks, and six strikeouts.
The loss went to Lehigh Valley relief pitcher Nicholas Padilla. It was his fourth loss of the season. He allowed two hits, six runs, and three walks throwing 33 pitches, of which 16 were strikes. The win went to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre relief pitcher Jake Bird.
The IronPigs and RailRiders play game four on Thursday at 7:05 pm.
