Pigs Swept by Chiefs in Doubleheader

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs were swept by the Syracuse Chiefs in a doubleheader to open the 2016 season on Friday afternoon at Coca-Cola Park. The Chiefs captured game one by a score of 5-1 and game two by a 2-1 count.

Lehigh Valley will next be in action on Monday night when they open a three-game set at Frontier Field in Rochester against the Red Wings. RHP Zach Eflin (8-6, 3.69 in AA in '15) gets the ball for the Pigs against Rochester LHP Logan Darnell (5-1, 2.78 in 35 G, 7 GS with ROC in '15).

Game One

The IronPigs brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh, but came up short in a 5-1 loss to the Syracuse Chiefs in game one of a doubleheader on Friday afternoon at Coca-Cola Park.

With the bases loaded and two away, RHP Rafael Martin (1.0 IP, 2 H, BB, K) was able to get Darnell Sweeney to pop up and close things out for the Chiefs.

Syracuse grabbed an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first as Trea Turner drew a leadoff walk, moved to third on a double and scored on a wild pitch from Pigs starter Jake Thompson. Matt Skole plated the second run of the frame for the Chiefs via an RBI groundout.

Lehigh Valley would cut the lead in half with a run in the top of the second as Taylor Featherston reached on a two-out throwing error by Turner and scored from first on Angelys Nina's RBI double.

The 2-1 score would hold until the top of the sixth when Syracuse opened up a 5-1 lead with a three-run inning off of Pigs RHP Edward Mujica (1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, BB). Skole, Jason Martinson and Brian Goodwin had RBIs in the inning for the Chiefs.

Thompson (0-1) was dealt the tough-luck loss as he allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits while walking a pair and fanning five over 5.0 IP in his Triple-A debut.

Thompson's counterpart, Syracuse RHP A.J. Cole (1-0) earned the win as he allowed just a run (none earned) on one hit to go along with two walks and two strikeouts in five innings of work.

Game Two

Lehigh Valley dropped game two by a score of 2-1 to the Syracuse Chiefs on Friday afternoon at Coca-Cola Park.

Syracuse took the lead for good with a run in the bottom of the sixth when Lehigh Valley RHP Luis Garcia issued three straight walks to start the inning which loaded the bases with nobody out. After back-to-back strikeouts from RHP Andrew Bailey (1.0 IP, BB, 2 K), Turner scampered home from third on a wild pitch charged to Bailey.

Garcia (0.0 IP, R, ER, 3 BB) was tagged with the loss for the IronPigs and drops to 0-1 on the season.

RHP Trevor Gott (1.0 IP, K) tossed a scoreless inning in relief and earned the win for the Chiefs and improves to 1-0 on the year. RHP Nick Masset (1.0 IP, BB, K) fired a scoreless seventh to notch his first save of the year.

Jason Martinson gave the Chiefs an early lead in game two with a solo shot in the home half of the first off of Pigs starter Adam Morgan.

Morgan (n/d) was very strong in his first start of the year as he allowed just the one run on three hits while walking one and fanning nine in 5.0 IP.

The IronPigs would tie things at one apiece in the top of the fifth when Ryan Jackson reached via a one-out single, moved to second on an infield single, took third on a sac bunt and scored on a wild pitch charged to Syracuse starter Taylor Jordan.

Jordan (n/d) gave up one run on four hits while walking a pair and fanning a pair over his five innings of work.

Making his Triple-A debut, Carlos Alonso (2-3) had a multi-hit game for Lehigh Valley.