Pigs' Rally Comes Up Short in 7-5 Loss

By Joe Fitzhenry (Photo Credit: Digital Photographic Imaging)

9:47 PM EDT

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (19-31) mounted a rally with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth, but came up short in a 7-5 loss to the Charlotte Knights (28-20) on Friday night at BB&T Ballpark.

The Knights took an early lead in the home half of the first as they loaded the bases with one out before Matt Tuiasosopo gave the hosts a 4-0 lead with a grand slam to dead centerfield off of Pigs starter Adam Morgan. It was the second home run of the season for Tuiasosopo.

Charlotte extended the lead to 5-0 with a run in the second as Leury Garcia reached with a one-out single and scored when the next batter, Tyler Saladino laced an RBI double down the left field line.

In the top of the third, the Pigs got a run back to cut the lead to 5-1 as Cord Phelps (3-4, 2 R) led off with a single, moved to second on Logan Moore's single, to third on a single and scored on Domonic Brown's (1-4, 2B, 2 RBI) sac fly.

Tuiasosopo hit his second home run of the night in the bottom of the third to answer the run for the Knights and open up a 6-1 advantage.

Morgan (0-5) was tagged with the loss as he allowed six runs on 10 hits while walking three and fanning five over five innings of work.

Charlotte starter Brad Penny got a no-decision for the Knights as the veteran right-hander allowed a run on four hits while striking out four in 4.0 IP before departing due to injury.

LHP Sean Hagan (3.0 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K) earned the win for the Knights to move his record to 1-0 on the year.

The Pigs got a pair of runs back in the eighth against RHP Zach Isler (2.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER) to bring themselves within 6-3. Chase d'Arnaud (3-5, RBI, 2 R) started the inning with a single, moved to second on Brian Bogusevic's (3-5, RBI, R) single and scored on Brown's RBI double. The next batter, Russ Canzler drove home Bogusevic with an RBI groundout to cut the Charlotte lead to 6-3.

RHP Hector Neris (2.0 IP, H, BB, 3 K) tossed a pair of shutout frames for the IronPigs.

The Knights answered that run in the home half of the same frame as Saladino delivered an RBI single off of LHP Cesar Jimenez (1.0 IP, 3 H, R, ER, K) to extend the lead to 7-3.

Lehigh Valley tacked on the afore-mentioned pair of runs in the ninth courtesy of back-to-back RBI singles from d'Arnaud and Bogusevic.

Saturday at 7:05 p.m. marks the second game of the three-game set as LHP Anthony Vasquez (1-1, 5.68) gets the ball for the Pigs against Knights RHP Erik Johnson (4-3, 4.60).