Early Runs Carry Pigs to 9-4 Win
A four-run first and a five-run second helped carry the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (74-50) to a 9-4 win over the Pawtucket Red Sox (65-59) on Wednesday night at Coca-Cola Park.
A two-run first opened up an early 2-0 lead for Pawtucket as Rusney Castillo drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on a single from Ryan LaMarre and scored when LaMarre stole second and the ball got away from Pigs 2B Darnell Sweeney. LaMarre later scored on Chris Marrero's RBI single.
In the home half of the frame, Brock Stassi delivered the big blow with a three-run blast off of Red Sox starter Justin Haley and Nick Williams knocked home a run via an RBI groundout to open up a 4-2 lead for the Pigs. The home run was Stassi's 10th of the season.
Chris Dominguez's solo shot off of IronPigs starter Ben Lively brought the PawSox within 4-3 in the top of the second.
Lively (8-5) allowed the three runs (two earned) on five hits to go along with two walks and four strikeouts in 6.0 IP.
In the afore-mentioned five-run second broke the game open for the Pigs and opened up a 9-3 advantage as Darin Ruf hit a two-run shot off of Haley, Williams plated a pair with a two-run double and Cam Perkins (3-4, 2B, RBI, R) delivered with an RBI single. The home run was Ruf's 17th of the season.
Haley (7-4) gave up the nine runs on eight hits while walking one in two innings of work.
Pawtucket cut the lead to 9-4 in the top of the seventh as Jose Vinicio reached with a one-out triple and scored on Castillo's sac fly.
LHP Hoby Milner (1.0 IP, K) had a scoreless outing in relief for manager Dave Brundage's squad.
The Pigs will open a five-game series with the Syracuse Chiefs on Thursday at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. as RHP Nick Pivetta (0-0, 3.60) gets the ball for the IronPigs against Chiefs RHP A.J. Cole (8-8, 4.26).