The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (78-53, 32-25) returned to Coca-Cola Park on Tuesday night to start a six-game series against the Toledo Mud Hens (74-59, 35-23). Mitch Neunborn (0-2, 5.28 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Jose Urquidy (1-0, 8.10 ERA) of Toledo.
At the top of the fourth inning. Toledo third baseman Max Anderson hit an RBI single to center field. Jace Jung scored for a 1-0 lead. Then, center fielder Trei Cruz hit a sacrifice fly to center field. Eduardo Valencia scored for a 2-0 lead.
At the top of the fifth inning, Toledo designated hitter Hao-Yu Lee hit a sacrifice fly to center field. Brian Serven scored, and it was now 3-0. Lehigh Valley starter Mitch Neunborn pitched 4.1 innings. He allowed four hits, three runs, four walks, and one strikeout throwing 86 pitches, of which 51 were strikes.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Lehigh Valley first baseman Otto Kemp hit an RBI single to left field. Johan Rojas scored, and the IronPigs trailed the Mud Hens 3-1.
Later, second baseman Donovan Walton hit a two-run RBI single to right field. The ball deflected off the glove of second baseman Jace Jung. Otto Kemp and Gabriel Rincones Jr. scored, and the game was tied 3-3. Then, Lehigh Valley right fielder Brewer Hicklen hit an RBI single to third baseman Max Anderson. Rafael Lantigua scored. The IronPigs took a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Lehigh Valley center fielder Johan Rojas hit an RBI double to right field. Rodolfo Castro scored, and it was now 5-3. It was Rojas’s fifth double of the season.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Lehigh Valley right fielder Brewer Hicklen hit Tanner Rainey’s slider for a two-run home run at 372 feet to left field for a 7-3 lead. It was Hicklen’s 13th home run of the season.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, designated hitter Gabriel Rincones Jr. hit an RBI single to left field. Justin Crawford scored for an 8-3 lead. Next, third baseman Rafael Lantigua hit an RBI single to left field. Otto Kemp scored, and it was now 9-3. Then, second baseman Donovan Walton hit into a fielder’s choice. A throwing error by Eduardo Valencia brought home Gabriel Rincones Jr. It was now 10-3.
Nolan Hoffman pitched for Lehigh Valley at the top of the ninth inning. He allowed one walk and one strikeout throwing 17 pitches, of which nine were strikes, to get the final three outs of the game. The IronPigs defeated the Mud Hens 10-3 for their fifth consecutive win.
Lehigh Valley finished the night with 12 hits, committed one error, went 6 for 16 with runners in scoring position, and left nine men on base. Brewer Hicklen went 2 for 4 with a home run, a walk, and four RBIs. Gabriel Rincones Jr. went 3 for 4 with a walk, an RBI, and a stolen base. Donovan Walton went 2 for 4 with a walk and two RBIs.
The win went to Lehigh Valley relief pitcher Ryan Cusick. He pitched 1.2 innings with four strikeouts throwing 21 pitches, of which 15 were strikes. The loss went to Toledo relief pitcher Matt Seelinger.
The IronPigs and Mud Hens play game two on Wednesday at 6:45 pm.
