The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (80-54, 34-26) and the Toledo Mud Hens (75-61, 36-25) played game four on Friday night from Coca-Cola Park. Alan Rangel (5-3, 4.72 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Randy Dobnak (1-0, 2.38 ERA) of Toledo.
At the top of the second inning, Toledo center fielder Gage Workman hit Rangel’s changeup for a two-run home run at 422 feet to center field for a 2-0 lead. It was Workman’s 12th home run of the season.
In the bottom of the second inning, Lehigh Valley had runners on second and third base. Left fielder Brewer Hicklen hit Dobnak’s slider for a three-run home run at 403 feet to left-center field to put the IronPigs up 3-2. It was Hicklen’s 15th home run of the season.
In the bottom of the third inning, Lehigh Valley first baseman Christian Arroyo hit an RBI single to left field. Gabriel Rincones Jr. scored for a 4-2 lead. It was his 31st RBI of the season.
Moving to the bottom of the fifth inning, Lehigh Valley catcher Payton Henry hit an RBI single that hit Toledo starter Randy Dobnak. Donovan Walton scored, and Lehigh Valley’s lead was now 5-2. It was Henry’s 43rd RBI of the season.
Lehigh Valley starter Alan Rangel pitched 6.2 innings. He allowed six hits, two runs, two walks, and six strikeouts throwing 95 pitches, of which 61 were strikes. Moving to the top of the eighth inning, Toledo had the bases loaded. Center fielder Gage Workman hit a two-run RBI double to right field. Akil Baddoo and Eduardo Valencia scored. Lehigh Valley’s lead was now 5-4.
Next, Toledo shortstop Trei Cruz hit a sacrifice fly to left field. Max Anderson scored, and the game was tied 5-5. Toledo second baseman Riley Unroe hit an RBI double to right field. Gage Workman scored, and the IronPigs trailed the Mud Hens 6-5. It was Unroe’s ninth double of the season. Then, Toledo catcher Brian Serven hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Andrew Navigato scored, and it was now 7-5.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Lehigh Valley designated hitter Paul McIntosh hit Ryan Boyer’s four-seam fastball for a solo home run at 438 feet to left-center field. The IronPigs trailed the Mud Hens 7-6. It was McIntosh’s second home run of the season.
Then, shortstop Rodolfo Castro hit Boyer’s four-seam fastball for a solo home run at 432 feet to left field, and the game was tied 7-7. It was Castro’s 19th home run of the season. The game would go to extra innings.
In the bottom of the tenth inning, Lehigh Valley had runners on the corners. Shortstop Rodolfo Castro hit a sacrifice fly to left field. Christian Arroyo scored, and the IronPigs defeated the Mud Hens 8-7.
Lehigh Valley finished the night with 12 hits, went 4 for 10 with runners in scoring position, and left eight men on base. Brewer Hicklen went 1 for 4 with a walk, a home run, and three RBIs. Rodolfo Castro went 1 for 4 with two RBIs.
The bullpen pitched 3.2 innings, allowing six hits, five runs, four walks, and four strikeouts. The win went to Lehigh Valley relief pitcher Lucas Sims. He pitched one inning, allowing one hit, one walk, and one strikeout throwing 18 pitches, of which 13 were strikes. The loss went to Toledo relief pitcher Wilkel Hernandez.
The IronPigs and Mud Hens play game five on Saturday at 6:35 pm.
