Big Third Inning Propels Iron Pigs Past PawSox

(Allentown, PA) - Lehigh Valley scored five runs in the third inning against Rubby De La Rosa on only two hits and the Iron Pigs held off a late Pawtucket rally for a 9-7 win over the PawSox Sunday afternoon in the second of a four-game series at Coca-Cola Park. 

Daniel Nava and Corey Brown homered for Pawtucket (14-11), which collected 17 baserunners (12 hits and five walks) but stranded 11 men including six in scoring position. De La Rosa (1-1), who had allowed only three total runs over his first four starts, permitted six runs in five innings on Sunday.

With Pawtucket holding a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the third, the Iron Pigs loaded the bases with none out on shortstop Brock Holt's fielding error and consecutive walks by De La Rosa to Clete Thomas and Steve Susdorf. 

Maikel Franco then reached on an RBI fielder's choice that plated the tying run. The play was nearly a 6-4-3 double play but first baseman Ryan Lavarnway was ruled to have pulled his foot off the bag before he took the relay throw, leaving runners on the corners.

Reid Brignac followed with an RBI single that scored Thomas and give Lehigh Valley the lead. The next batter was Jim Murphy who lined a two-run double into left, plating both Franco and Brignac and making the score 5-2. Murphy moved to third on the throw to the plate, then scored the fifth run of the inning on Tyler Henson's ground out.

Brown's second home run of the season on the first pitch from David Buchanan (3-0) highlighted Pawtucket's two-run fifth inning rally. Lavarnway singled home a run later in the inning to bring the PawSox within 6-4, but Sebastian Valle's sacrifice fly in the sixth against Chris Hernandez put Lehigh Valley back in front by three.

Nava homered with one out in the seventh against reliever Brad Lincoln, then consecutive doubles by Lavarnway and Bryce Brentz made the score 7-6. But after the PawSox stranded three total on base in the seventh and eighth, Valle delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the eighth to put the Iron Pigs ahead 9-6.

Pawtucket plated a two-out run in the ninth against Lehigh Valley closer Luis Garcia when Garcia dropped a throw covering first base on Brown's infield single. But with the tying runners on base, Garcia got Justin Henry to ground out and finish his third save of the season.

Game three of the series is slated for a 7:05 pm first pitch on Monday night. Right-hander Allen Webster (1-1, 3.08) will get the ball for manager Kevin Boles, while lefty Greg Smith (2-0, 2.04) is expected to start for the Iron Pigs. Radio coverage on 920 AM (WHJJ) and also streaming online begins at 6:50 pm.

Following the quick trip to Lehigh Valley, the PawSox return to McCoy Stadium for eight straight beginning Thursday, May 1 against Indianapolis at 7:05 pm. Limited tickets are available for all upcoming games at the McCoy Stadium box office, by calling (401) 724-7300 or by visiting pawsox.com.