IronPigs Bounce Back With Blowout Victory

ALLENTOWN, PA - Just one day removed from a brutal loss to Rochester in which they were almost no-hit, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs turned the tables on the Red Wings Monday night, plating 14 runs in a huge 14-5 win at Coca-Cola Park.

The 14 runs were tied for a season high by Lehigh Valley, and they got production throughout the order en route to Monday's victory.

Shortstop Pete Orr was an integral part of the run production, as he went 4-for-4 with a single, double, homer, five RBIs, and three runs. The five runs batted in were a career high for Orr, with the fifth also being his 400th professional RBI. His 10 total bases also tied a career high.

Josh Fields, like Orr, was also just one hit away from a cycle in the game, as he singled, doubled, tripled, and scored two runs. Also providing a punch was Cody Asche, who had a hit in four trips and four RBIs, Cesar Hernandez who knocked in two runs, and Cody Overbeck who blasted his team-leading eighth home run to left in the fifth inning.

One strength for Lehigh Valley was their situational hitting, which was perhaps as good as it has been all year. The IronPigs were 4-for-10 with runners in scoring position, which included five two-out RBI. They only left one runner in scoring position, and also had two sacrifice flies in the game. Lehigh Valley scored multiple runs in four of the first five innings.

Perhaps overshadowed in amid the flurry of runs, and hidden by a four-run fourth for Rochester were fairly strong performances from IronPigs' pitching. Cesar Jimenez made the spot start today for Adam Morgan, and pitched well despite struggling with command early on. He lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on two hits. He exited the game having allowed only one run, but his inherited runner scored after he left the game. Jimenez received a no decision in the game.

The winner was Justin Friend (2-1), who came on in relief of Jimenez. He pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed two runs, on a grand slam to Chris Colabello, but those were the last runs Rochester would score. Joe Savery, Michael Stutes, and Jake Diekman pitched a scoreless inning in relief apiece.

For the Red Wings, Colabello led the way offensively with his aforementioned grand slam, which was his International League leading twelfth of the season. His four RBIs put him behind only Luis Jimenez for the league lead. With the grand slam, Colabello is now hitting a staggering .444 with runners in scoring position and two outs.

Rochester's only other RBI came in the first, on a sacrifice fly from Jeff Clement.

Cole De Vries (0-1) took the loss for the Red Wings, as he lasted just three innings and allowed nine runs (eight earned) on six hits. The last time he allowed nine runs was back in August of 2010 while pitching for New Britain. This is the first time he has ever allowed eight earned runs in a game, and he has given up at least one run in nine of his last 11 innings between New Britain and Rochester.

Lehigh Valley will look to take the series on Tuesday night. The IronPigs have not yet named a started for the game, and Rochester's probable starting pitcher is right-hander Samuel Deduno (0-0, 2.70 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 at Coca-Cola Park.

Bacon Bits: With three triples today, Lehigh Valley now has 19 three-baggers this season in just 44 games. Last year they had 19 triples all season (143 games)…The 14 runs Lehigh Valley scored was tied for the most they scored all season, and both other times they scored 14 runs the final score was also 14-5…Darin Ruf broke an 0-for-21 slump with a single to left in the eighth.