Bisons Score Four in First, Pigs Lose Seventh Straight

BUFFALO, NY - Lehigh Valley would score one run in the first and one in the ninth, but a four-run first inning by Buffalo led to a Bisons 5-2 victory, the IronPigs seventh consecutive loss, adding to their season-worst losing streak.

The IronPigs were able to take another early lead on the team's third triple in two days, when SS Freddy Galvis extended his hitting streak to five games with the three-bagger. The 24-year-old shortstop would score one batter later when 3B Maikel Franco produced an RBI-ground out to give the Pigs their first - and only - lead of the game.

The Bisons would then use two doubles, two singles and two walks to score four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, sending nine batters to the plate to face RHP David Buchanan. The IronPigs ace needed 40 pitches to get through the first frame, allowing four runs to the Bisons in the first inning for the second time this season (5/18).

After the first inning, the game turned into the pitcher's duel we expected with Buchanan and International League All-Star RHP Liam Hendriks on the mound, with only two more runs scored the rest of the way.

Lehigh Valley relievers played a large role in keeping the game within striking distance, with Buchanan giving way to the bullpen after throwing 77 pitches over three innings. LHP Jeremy Horst was the first to relieve the Lehigh Valley starter, hurling two perfect innings and striking out four of the six batters he faced.

RHP Jeff Manship would then make his debut in an IronPigs uniform, throwing two innings of two-hit baseball. Two singles allowed by Manship in the seventh inning led to the Bisons fifth run of the game, extending their lead to 5-1.

Maikel Franco would send his seventh homerun of the season over the left field wall in the ninth inning off of RHP Steve Belabar, cutting the Bisons lead to 5-2. The Phillies top prospect is batting .321 (27-84) with two homeruns and 19 RBI since July 2, good enough for third-most RBI in the International League in that span.

Game three of this four-game set will feature another pitching re-match from earlier in the week, as LHP Jo-Jo Reyes makes his second start as an IronPig against RHP Radhames Liz. Sunday's matchup has a first pitch scheduled for 1:05 pm, as Lehigh Valley looks to avoid dropping their eighth straight game, which would tie for third longest such streak in franchise history.