IronPigs Win Third Straight Behind Miner, Martinez
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Lehigh Valley IronPigs rode the right arm of Zach Miner for seven innings while Michael Martinez added four hits as they defeated the Buffalo Bisons 5-3 Wednesday night at Coca-Cola Field.
Miner (4-3) turned in his best outing of the season, allowing one run on six hits over seven innings, while striking out six. Meanwhile Martinez led the offensive attack, going 4-for-4 while scoring two runs and driving in a pair.
The IronPigs (29-30), who won their third straight game, got things started in the third as Steve Susdorf walked, and two batters later Martinez lifted his first homer of the season, a two-run shot, to right field for a 2-0 lead.
In the fourth, Cody Asche doubled and scored two batters later when Cody Overbeck singled to center. Later in the frame Susdorf singled to left field, scoring Ovebeck and giving the visitors a 4-0 advantage. Lehigh Valley scored its final run in the fifth inning when Martinez struck again, singling, stealing second, advancing on a bunt and scoring on an error to put the 'Pigs in front 5-0.
Miner's lone blip came in the seventh inning, as he allowed a leadoff homer to reigning league Most Valuable Player Mauro Gomez before retiring the next three batters he faced to end his night. Buffalo (31-27) scored a pair of runs off Phillippe Aumont in the eighth dig to cut the deficit to 5-3, but Jake Diekman shut the door for his ninth save of the season with a scoreless ninth.
Right-hander Chad Jenkins (0-1) suffered the loss in his first career Triple-A start, allowing five earned runs on six hits in five innings.
Pete Orr added three hits in Lehigh Valley's 11-hit attack, while Josh Fields went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 14 games, the longest for the IronPigs this year.
Game three of the series is set for Thursday morning when RHP Ethan Martin (5-2, 5.60) gets the ball for Lehigh Valley against LHP Ricky Romero (0-1, 11.84) for Buffalo. First pitch is set for 10:35 a.m. from Coca-Cola Field.