Pitching Quiets Knights as IronPigs Win Again
ALLENTOWN, P.A. - The Lehigh Valley IronPigs limited the Charlotte Knights to just three hits Sunday afternoon at Coca-Cola Park en route to a 3-1 win, their third victory in a row and sixth in their last seven games.
Raul Valdes (1-1) allowed just one run on two hits in five innings en route to the victory, his first win as a starter since May 2, 2011 as a member of the Memphis Redbirds. Justin Friend then fired scoreless sixth and seventh innings with three strikeouts before Mauricio Robles tossed a hitless eighth inning, surrendering only a walk.
Jake Diekman entered in the ninth inning with the IronPigs clinging to a 3-1 lead. The southpaw allowed a pair of walks and two steals to put runners on second and third with two outs, but he struck out Angel Sanchez to end the game, earning his 10th save of the season and eighth in his last eight opportunities.
Lehigh Valley (32-31), who moved above .500 for the first time since April 18, scored the game's first runs in the third inning. With one out John Suomi singled, and after a fly out Jermaine Mitchell homered over the right field wall, his fourth of the season, for a 2-0 advantage.
The IronPigs tacked on what would be their final run in the fourth as Cody Asche singled to lead off the frame, stole second and later scored on Cody Overbeck's double off the left-center field wall.
Charlotte (26-38) scratched its lone run across in the fifth inning on a wild pitch, but that would be it as the team struggled in clutch situations all afternoon, finishing 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
Zach Stewart (3-8) suffered his third straight loss, allowing three runs on five hits over six innings of work.
Asche was the only IronPig to register a multi-hit day, finishing 2-for-4, while Darin Ruf went hitless but walked twice. Michael Martinez finished 0-for-2, ending his hitting streak at 10 games.
Game three of the series is set for tomorrow when LHP Tom Cochran (1-2, 5.73) takes the mound for Lehigh Valley against Charlotte RHP Andre Rienzo (5-3, 6.02). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. from Coca-Cola Park.