The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (40-46, 5-6) played game five against the Rochester Red Wings (51-33, 6-5) on Saturday night at ESL Ballpark. Andrew Painter was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Luis Perales of Rochester. Before the game, the Philadelphia Phillies recalled LHP Tanner Banks.
It was a pitcher’s duel in the first four and a half innings. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Rochester had a runner on first base when Joey Wiemer hit an RBI double to left field, scoring Trey Lipscomb for a 1-0 lead. With two outs, a groundout by Riley Adams ended the inning. Andrew Painter went six innings, allowing four hits, one run, and struck out six, throwing 69 pitches, of which 48 were strikes.
Moving to the top of the seventh inning, Lehigh Valley had runners on the corners when Dylan Moore hit an RBI single to right field, scoring Dylan Carlson and tying the game 1-1. With two outs, Tommy Pham struck out swinging to conclude the inning.
Andrew Bechtold pitched for Lehigh Valley in the bottom of the seventh inning. He allowed a hit and a walk, throwing 13 pitches, of which eight were strikes. Chase Shugart pitched for Lehigh Valley in the bottom of the eighth inning. He struck out one, throwing 11 pitches, of which eight were strikes, to get three outs.
Michael Mercado pitched for Lehigh Valley in the bottom of the ninth inning. Rochester had a runner on second base when Andrew Pinckney hit a walk-off RBI single to center field. Steward Berroa overplayed the ball, and Yohandy Morales scored. The IronPigs lost to the Red Wings 2-1. Mercado allowed a hit, a run, a walk, and one strikeout, throwing 15 pitches, of which 10 were strikes.
Lehigh Valley finished the night with six hits, went 3 for 8 with runners in scoring position, and left eight men on base. The loss went to Lehigh Valley pitcher Michael Mercado (3-3), and the win went to Rochester pitcher Luke Young (4-2).
The IronPigs can win the series in the series finale on Sunday at 1:05 pm on the MLB App. Drake Fellows (0-1, 4.82 ERA) will be on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Chandler Champlain (5-3, 4.16 ERA) of Rochester.
