IronPigs Take Series Behind Smith, Overbeck

ALLENTOWN, PA - The Lehigh Valley IronPigs used a five-run first inning and a scoreless outing from starter Greg Smith to take the four-game series from the Rochester Red Wings, winning 9-2 Tuesday night at Coca-Cola Park.

Smith (1-0) was fantastic in his first Triple-A start of 2013, going 5 2/3 shutout innings, allowing just four hits and striking out two without walking a batter. It was the southpaw's first scoreless outing since August 15 of last year, when he went seven innings with the Salt Lake Bees.

Cody Overbeck did his part to back his starter, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. The first baseman hit his team leading ninth dinger of the season, a three-run shot in the five-run first frame.

In the first Darin Ruf got the ball rolling, scoring Pete Orr on a single to left field. Overbeck followed with his home run, and three batters later Steven Lerud knocked in Josh Fields with a single for the five-run advantage.

In the fifth the IronPigs (20-25) struck again, as Lerud again punished the Red Wings, looping a single to right field over a drawn-in infield to score Fields and Leandro Castro. Lerud later scored when Cody Asche doubled off the right field wall, putting the home side well ahead at 8-0.

Lehigh Valley scored their final run of the contest in the sixth, when Overbeck singled, advanced on a passed ball and moved to third on a single by Fields. Castro then lifted a fly ball to left which went for a sacrifice fly, scoring Overbeck.

Rochester (18-28) scored a pair of runs in the eighth inning, but never threatened the IronPigs as they fell to a season-low 10 games below .500.

Asche and Lerud each finished with a pair of hits, while Lerud joined Overbeck with a trio of RBIs. Eight of the nine IronPigs starters finished with at least one base knock, while seven scored at least one run.

Virgil Vasquez (2-3) took the loss, allowing five earned runs on seven hits over four innings of work.

The IronPigs have an off day Wednesday before returning to action Thursday against the Norfolk Tides. RHP Ethan Martin (4-2, 5.23) gets the start for Lehigh Valley against RHP Steve Johnson (1-2, 5.49) for Norfolk. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. at Coca-Cola Park.

Bacon Bits: The IronPigs knocked two triples to extend their league-lead to 21 on the season… After getting shut out on Sunday, the IronPigs scored 23 runs over the next two games… Smith's start marked just the second time in the last nine games an IronPigs starter went five innings or more.