The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (66-75, 31-35) took on the Worcester Red Sox (72-64, 36-29) in game four on Friday night at Coca-Cola Park. Chuck King was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against John Holobetz for Worcester.
The game was scoreless in the first four innings. The IronPigs had four men on base, but were unable to bring them home. At the top of the fifth inning, Worcester had a runner on first base with one out when Nate Baez put the Red Sox up 1-0 with an RBI double to left field, scoring Max Ferguson. Braiden Ward hit the ball to third baseman Otto Kemp for an unassisted inning-ending double play. Chuck King went six innings, allowing five hits, one run, and two strikeouts, throwing 85 pitches, of which 56 were strikes.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Otto Kemp tied the game 1-1 by hitting Holobetz’s four-seam fastball for a solo home run at 424 feet to left-center field. It was his 16th home run of the season, and the exit velocity off the bat was 103.5 mph.
With one out, first baseman Keaton Anthony put the IronPigs up 2-1 by hitting Seth Martinez’s sweeper for a solo home run to left field. It was his 10th home run of the season, and the exit velocity off the bat was 98.8 mph. Dylan Moore and Colby Thomas lined out to end the inning.
Andrew Hoffmann pitched for Lehigh Valley at the top of the seventh inning. In the bottom of the seventh inning with one out, Lehigh Valley catcher Payton Henry made it 3-1 by hitting Martinez’s sinker for a solo home run at 388 feet to right-center field. It was his seventh home run of the season, and the exit velocity off the bat was 104.5 mph.
With two outs, Gabriel Rincones Jr. made it 4-1 by hitting Martinez’s four-seam fastball for a solo home run at 436 feet off the PenTeleData at right field. It was his fourth home run of the season, and the exit velocity off the bat was 111.1 mph. Kameron Misner struck out swinging for the third out.
Hoffmann went 1.1 innings, allowing a walk and two strikeouts, throwing 22 pitches, of which 13 were strikes. Kirby Snead pitched for Lehigh Valley in the bottom of the eighth inning. He went 1.2 innings with two strikeouts, throwing 23 pitches, of which 14 were strikes, to get the final five outs of the game. The IronPigs beat the Red Sox 4-1.
Lehigh Valley finished the night with seven hits, went 0 for 3 with runners in scoring position, and left five men on base. Otto Kemp went 2 for 3 with a walk, a home run, and an RBI. The win went to Lehigh Valley starter Chuck King (10-7), while Kirby Snead earned his third save of the season, and the loss went to Worcester pitcher Seth Martinez (3-4).
The IronPigs and Red Sox play game five on Saturday at 6:35 pm on the MLB App and Bally Sports Live. Drake Fellows (5-4, 5.62 ERA) will be on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Michael Sansone (5-8, 5.67 ERA).
