Two Homeruns Not Enough, Pigs Fall 7-3

Lehigh Vally gets homeruns by Rupp and Castro, but are shutdown late by the Toledo bullpen.

By Alec Scercy

May 24, 2014

ALLENTOWN, PA - For a second consecutive night, the Toldeo Mud Hens only got three and one-third innings out of their starting pitcher, but won anyway with a dazzling performance by the bullpen; winning 7-3 at Coca-Cola Park.

Another quick start for the Mud Hens as they tallied three runs in the top of the first inning off of Lehigh Valley starter RHP Brad Lincoln; who has pitched well as a spot-starter this season, owning a 1.50 ERA in three games started. Toledo would add two more runs off of Lincoln in the third inning, a clutch two-RBI double down the leftfield line by DH Trevor Crowe, stretching the Hens lead to 5-1.

The IronPigs would respond with solo homeruns in back-to-back innings by C Cameron Rupp and OF Leandro Castro, cutting the lead to 5-3, but never got any closer as the Toledo bullpen entered the game with one out in the fourth inning and shut down the Pigs bats. The longball by the Lehigh Valley catcher was his first since returning to the lineup on May 13, after missing exactly a month with an oblique strain, and first since beginning the season with a homerun in his first four starts (April 3-8).

Three Mud Hen relievers would combine to throw the final five and two-thirds innings, allowing no runs and only one hit. The Toledo bullpen also finished the game retiring fifteen consecutive IronPigs batters.

The seventeen hits for the Mud Hens marked a new season-high allowed by Lehigh Valley, and the West Division foe now has 28 hits and 16 runs scored over the first two games of this series.

Eight of the nine Lehigh Valley starters tallied at least one hit, but only 3B Tyler Henson contributed a multi-hit game (2-4). 2B Ronny Cedeno did extend his hitting streak to ten games with a fourth-inning single to left field.

The IronPigs will attempt to avoid losing a series for the first time in May when they take on Toledo for game three of this four-game set on Saturday evening. RHP Chris Bootcheck will get the start, making his IronPigs debut after beginning the season on the Disabled List. The 35-year-old from Auburn University has played four previous seasons in the International League with four different teams, including this Toledo team in 2012. The native of Indiana will take on his former teammates on Saturday, with a first pitch time of 6:35.