The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (7-4) played game two against the Rochester Red Wings (6-5) on Wednesday evening from Coca-Cola Park. Zack Wheeler made his third rehab start for Lehigh Valley against Andrew Alvarez.
The game was scoreless in the first three innings until the top of the fourth inning. Rochester had a runner on third base with two outs when first baseman Andrés Chaparro hit a soft fly ball RBI single to center field. Harry Ford scored to give the Red Wings a 1-0 lead. After walking Yohandy Morales, Wheeler struck out Andrew Pinckney to end the inning.
Zack Wheeler pitched 4.1 innings, allowing three hits, one run, one walk, and six strikeouts, throwing 61 pitches, of which 44 were strikes. Lou Trivino replaced Wheeler at the top of the fifth inning. He faced three batters, allowing one hit and one strikeout, throwing 13 pitches, of which eight were strikes.
Bryse Wilson was the new pitcher for Lehigh Valley at the top of the sixth inning. Wilson walked Dylan Crew and Abimelec Ortiz. Crew stole third base when first baseman Andrés Chaparro hit an RBI single to center field. Crews scored for a 2-0 lead. Next, third baseman Yohandy Morales hit an RBI single to right field. Abimelec Ortiz scored for a 3-0 lead.
Then, left fielder Andrew Pinckney hit a fly ball three-run home run at 393 feet to left field for a 6-0 lead. It was Pinckney’s first home run of the season, and the exit velocity off the bat was 105.8 mph. With two outs, Harry Ford grounded into a forceout at second base, and the inning was over.
Bryse Wilson pitched three innings, allowing four hits, five runs, three walks, and two strikeouts, throwing 65 pitches, of which 35 were strikes.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Lehigh Valley shortstop Christian Cairo worked a four-pitch walk. Left fielder Felix Reyes was up to bat. He hit Alvarez’s curveball for a two-run home run at 440 feet to left-center field.
The IronPigs trailed the Red Wings 6-2, and the exit velocity off the bat was 111.3 mph. It was Reyes’ third home run of the season. Lehigh Valley did not add any more runs in the inning.
Seth Johnson was the new pitcher for Lehigh Valley at the top of the ninth inning. Johnson allowed one walk and three strikeouts, throwing 20 pitches, of which 13 were strikes.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, designated hitter Bryan De La Cruz hit a single to shortstop Zack Short. Three batters later, with two outs, first baseman Liover Peguero hit a soft groundout to first baseman Andres Chaparro, and Cruz scored. A groundout by Robert Moore ended the game. The IronPigs dropped game two to the Red Wings by the final score of 6-3.
Lehigh Valley finished the night with four hits, committed one error, went 1 for 5 with runners in scoring position, and left four men on base. The loss went to Lehigh Valley starter Zack Wheeler (0-1), and the win went to Rochester starter Andrew Alvarez (2-0).
The IronPigs and Red Wings play game three on Thursday at 6:35 pm on the MLB App. Alan Rangel (1-0, 0.84 ERA) will be on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Mitchell Parker (1-1, 4.66 ERA) of Rochester.
