The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (6-1) and the Durham Bulls (1-6) played game four on Friday night from Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Zack Wheeler was on the mound, making his second rehab start for Lehigh Valley against Brody Hopkins of Durham.
The game was scoreless for two and a half innings until the bottom of the third inning. Durham had runners on first and second base when third baseman Raynel Delgado hit Wheeler’s four-seam fastball for a two-run RBI double to left field. Cooper Bowman and Victor Mesa Jr. scored to give the Bulls a 2-0 lead.
After hitting Durham catcher Dom Keegan, center fielder Jacob Melton hit Wheeler’s four-seam fastball for a three-run home run at 391 feet to right field. The Bulls extended their lead to 5-0, and the exit velocity off the bat was 107.3 mph. Durham did not add any more runs in the inning.
Zack Wheeler’s night was over. He pitched three innings, allowing four hits, five runs, two walks, and one strikeout, throwing 49 pitches, of which 26 were strikes.
Moving to the top of the seventh inning, Lehigh Valley had runners on first and second base with nobody out when first baseman Liover Peguero hit Chris Clark’s sinker for a two-run RBI single to right field. Oscar Mercado and Rene Pinto scored. Lehigh Valley trailed Durham 5-2.
With two outs, designated hitter Caleb Ricketts hit a double to left field, while Peguero went to third base. Lehigh Valley right fielder Bryan De La Cruz was next. He hit Clark’s slider for a three-run home run at 419 feet to left field. The game was tied 5-5, and the exit velocity off the bat was 105.2 mph. Lehigh Valley did not add any more runs in the inning.
At the top of the eighth inning, Lehigh Valley had runners on second and third base when shortstop Christian Cairo hit an RBI single to right field. Rene Pinto scored to give Lehigh Valley a 6-5 lead.
Two batters later with two outs, Lehigh Valley designated hitter Caleb Ricketts hit a ground-rule two-run double to right field. Liover Peguero and Christian Cairo scored for an 8-5 lead.
Then, right fielder Bryan De La Cruz hit Alex Cook’s four-seam fastball for a two-run home run at 371 feet to left field for a 10-5 lead. The exit velocity off the bat was 97.1 mph. It was Cruz’s second home run of the night. Lehigh Valley did not add any more runs in the inning.
Seth Johnson was the new pitcher for Lehigh Valley in the bottom of the ninth inning. With one out, Durham first baseman Blake Sabol hit Johnson’s four-seam fastball for a solo home run at 409 feet to center field. Lehigh Valley’s lead was now 10-6.
Johnson struck out Cooper Bowman, and a groundout by Victor Mesa Jr. ended the game. The IronPigs completed the comeback with a 10-6 win. Johnson allowed one hit, one run, and two strikeouts, throwing 19 pitches, of which 12 were strikes.
The IronPigs finished the night with 12 hits, went 5 of 14 with runners in scoring position, and left nine men on base. Right fielder Bryan De La Cruz went 3 for 5 with two home runs and five RBIs, while Caleb Ricketts went 2 for 4 with two doubles, a walk, and two RBIs.
The win went to Lehigh Valley pitcher Connor Gillispie. He pitched four innings, allowing one hit and five strikeouts, throwing 55 pitches, of which 39 were strikes. Lehigh Valley’s bullpen pitched six innings, allowing three hits, one run, one walk, and nine strikeouts. The loss went to Durham pitcher Alex Cook.
The IronPigs and Bulls play game five on Saturday at 6:45 pm on the MLB App. Ryan Cusick (0-0, 6.75 ERA) will be on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Chase Solesky (0-0, 3.00 ERA).
