The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (83-56, 37-28) played game three on Thursday night against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (82-56, 44-22) from PNC Field. Alan Rangel (5-3, 4.60 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Brendan Beck (7-3, 4.91 ERA) of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
At the top of the fourth inning, Lehigh Valley catcher Payton Henry hit an RBI double to left field. Gabriel Rincones Jr. scored for a 1-0 lead. It was Henry’s seventh double of the season and 46th RBI of the year.
Moving to the top of the sixth inning, Lehigh Valley had a runner on second base with two outs. Catcher Payton Henry hit the ball to shortstop Braden Shewmake. Henry reached first base on a throwing error by Shewmake, and Gabriel Rincones Jr. scored for a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre shortstop Braden Shewmake hit a two-run RBI single to right field. Spencer Jones and Jeimer Candelario scored. The game was tied 2-2. Lehigh Valley starter Alan Rangel pitched seven innings. He allowed six hits, two runs, and eight strikeouts throwing 95 pitches, of which 73 were strikes.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre designated hitter Jose Rojas hit Andrew Walling’s slider for a solo home run at 413 feet to right-center field. The IronPigs trailed the RailRiders 3-2. It was Rojas’s 30th home run of the season.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Lehigh Valley first baseman Luis Verdugo grounded into a game-ending double play. The IronPigs lose to the RailRiders 3-2. The loss ends Lehigh Valley’s two-game winning streak.
Lehigh Valley finished the game with seven hits, went 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position, and left seven men on base. Aiden Miller went 1 for 3 with a walk, and Payton Henry went 1 for 4 with an RBI. The loss went to Lehigh Valley relief pitcher Tim Walling. He pitched one inning, allowing one hit, one run, and one strikeout throwing nine pitches, of which six were strikes. The win to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre relief pitcher Kervin Castro, and Joel Kuhnel earned the save.
The IronPigs and RailRiders play game four on Friday at 6:35 pm.
