Pigs Drop Game One; Game Two Rained Out

SYRACUSE, NY - The IronPigs dropped their fourth straight contest in the first seven-inning game of a scheduled doubleheader, 4-3, before game two was postponed due to rain.

The twin bill was scheduled due to back-to-back rain outs during the Pigs first trip to Syracuse in mid-April, of which the two teams made up one of the games during that series.

Before the rain began to fall the, Lehigh Valley were able to score two quick runs off Chiefs' starter LHP Zach Kroenke. OF Leandro Castro led the game off with a triple against the lefty, and scored a batter later when 2B Tyler Henson sent a single into center field. Henson would steal second to get himself into scoring position, and 3B Maikel Franco would deliver a two-out RBI single two batters later to give the Pigs a 2-0 lead.

Syracuse lead-off man SS Emmanuel Burriss would then strike back with a triple of his own in the home half of the inning; a long fly ball that sent left fielder Cam Perkins crashing into the wall. Perkins would leave the game after the play, and Burriss would score a batter later on an RBI-groundout by OF Jeff Kobernus, cutting the Pigs lead in half.

The Chiefs would add three more in the third inning off of Pigs starter RHP Chris Bootcheck, which would be enough for Syracuse to hold on for a win in the shortened game. Three consecutive doubles aided the home team's efforts, as each accounted for one of the runs in the inning. Bootcheck would then retire six of the last seven batters he faced - allowing one walk - but the damage had been done by the North Division leaders.

Franco would lead-off the sixth inning with a single to centerfield, but a double play before a C Sebastian Valle double would limit the damage for Kroenke. The Pigs would score in the inning on an SS Andres Blanco single, but 4-3 would hold up to be the final score.

RHP Shawn Camp would relieve Bootcheck and deliver a 1-2-3 sixth inning including one strikeout, but did not get a chance to pitch the seventh as the Pigs went down 1-2-3 in the top-half of the final inning against Chiefs' closer RHP Warner Madrigal, who earned his sixth save of the season.

The IronPigs and Clippers will attempt another doubleheader on Wednesday, this time with a 5:00 game-one first pitch scheduled. Lehigh Valley will have an opportunity to gain some ground on the division leaders, after falling to a season worst 10.5 games back of first place.