Pigs Fall in 9th to Bisons, 2-1
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (11-10) faltered in the 9th inning and dropped a 2-1 decision to the Buffalo Bisons (10-12) on Friday night at Coca-Cola Park.
Trailing 2-1, the IronPigs had first and second with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth, but LHP Chad Girodo (1.0 IP, H, K) was able to fan Ryan Jackson and get Darnell Sweeney to line into a 4-6 double play to escape the jam. Girodo notches his first save of the year.
With things tied at one apiece in the top of the ninth, Jon Berti reached with a one-out double, advanced to third on a sac fly and scored on David Adams' RBI double to give Buffalo a 2-1 lead.
The run was charged to Pigs RHP Edward Mujica (1.0 IP, 2 H, R, ER, K) who took the loss and drops to 0-2 on the year.
RHP Chad Jenkins (2.0 IP, H, 2 BB, K) got the win for the Bisons and is now 2-0 on the season.
The game was scoreless until the home half of the fifth as Pigs starter Mark Appel and Bisons starter Drew Hutchison traded zeroes.
In the bottom of the fifth, Cedric Hunter drove a one-out double into the left centerfield gap and came around to score on Jackson's RBI single to give the IronPigs a 1-0 lead.
Hutchison (n/d) allowed the one run on six hits to go along with two walks and six strikeouts over his six innings of work.
Buffalo quickly tied it at one with a run in the top of the sixth as Domonic Brown drew a one-out walk, advanced to third on a single and scored on Casey Kotchman's RBI single.
Appel (n/d) gave up one run on four hits while walking four and fanning three over 5.1 IP.
Tommy Joseph (2-4, 2B), Will Venable (2-4) and Hunter (2-4, 2B) all had a multi-hit game for the IronPigs.
RHP Luis Garcia (1.2 IP, 2 BB) and LHP James Russell (1.0 IP, H, BB, K) each had scoreless outings in relief for manager Dave Brundage's squad.
The series continues on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. as RHP Alec Asher (1-2, 3.20 in AA) will be on the bump for the Pigs against Bisons LHP Scott Diamond (2-1, 2.38).