Pigs Drop Another Heartbreaker, 7-6
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs' recent struggles continued as they dropped a 7-6 decision to the Buffalo Bisons on Friday night. Lehigh Valley now sits at 4-12 on the season while Buffalo improves to 11-4 overall and is now 6-0 against the Pigs so far in 2015.
Buffalo tagged LHP Cesar Jimenez (1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB) for a pair of runs in the top of the ninth as Ezequiel Carrera delivered the blow with a two-run single to give the Bisons the lead that they wouldn't relinquish. Jimenez got himself in trouble in the inning by issuing a pair of walks, including one to the no. 9 hitter Jonathan Diaz with two outs in the inning. The veteran southpaw falls to 0-2 on the season.
As a whole on the night, IronPigs pitching issued nine free passes.
Carrera got things started right away for the Bisons as he led off the game with a solo shot to right that gave the visitors a 1-0 lead.
That lead didn't last long though as the Pigs were able to plate a pair of runs during a two-out rally in the home half of the first. Maikel Franco and Russ Canzler each singled before Jordan Danks drove home both runners with a two-run double down the right field line.
In the bottom of the third, Chris McGuiness knocked a leadoff double to right, advanced to third on a single and scored on Edgar Duran's RBI single to give the Pigs a 3-1 lead.
Lehigh Valley LHP Joely Rodriguez got himself into some trouble in the third with a pair of walks and the Bisons' Matt Hague made him pay with a two-run double into the left centerfield gap that tied things at three apiece.
On the night, Rodriguez tossed 4.1 innings and allowed five runs on seven hits with four walks and three strikeouts. The southpaw got a no-decision for his efforts.
The IronPigs were able to take the lead back in the bottom of the fourth as Rene Garcia, Duran and Brian Bogusevic each notched a two-out single. Bogusevic's single plated Garcia to give the Pigs a 4-3 advantage and extended his hitting streak to 11 games, which matches his career-high set with Iowa (AAA) in 2013.
A back-and-forth affair continued just that way in the top of the fifth as the Bisons loaded the bases with one out and Andy Wilkins drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at four. Following a pitching change that saw Adam Loewen (2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 K) take over for Rodriguez, Brad Glenn drove home a run with a sac fly to give Buffalo a 5-4 lead. It could have been more in the inning, if not for Duran robbing Caleb Gindl with a diving snag of a line drive up the middle.
The fifth also signaled the end of the night for Buffalo's Austin Bibens-Dirkx who gave up four runs on nine hits with four strikeouts over four innings of work. The right-hander received a no-decision.
Lehigh Valley was able to tie things with a run against Buffalo RHP Steve Delabar (1.1 IP, 2 H, R, ER, 3 K) in the bottom half of the eighth as Canzler reached with a one-out single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Tyler Henson delivered a two-out game tying RBI double down the right field line.
RHP Bo Schultz (1.2 IP, 2 H, R, ER, BB, K) allowed a run in the ninth as Cord Phelps notched an RBI single to bring the Pigs within 7-6, but that was the closest they would get. Schultz was able to bounce back to get Franco to groundout to end the game and cement his first win of the season to even his record at 1-1.
The Pigs will try to bounce back on Saturday night when they host the Bisons in the third game of a four-game series. RHP Chad Billingsley (0-0, 3.24) heads to the mound for the Pigs in his third rehab start while LHP Rob Rasmussen (0-0, 0.00) will make his first start of the year for Buffalo.