Pigs Sweep Chiefs in Doubleheader
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (76-51) swept a doubleheader against the Syracuse Chiefs (56-71) on Friday night at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse. The Pigs took game one by a score of 4-3 and won the nightcap in eight innings by a 3-2 count.
The series continues on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. as RHP David Buchanan (8-8, 4.05) gets the ball for the Pigs against Chiefs RHP Austin Voth (7-7, 3.49).
Game One
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs held on to top the Syracuse Chiefs by a score of 4-3 in game one of a doubleheader on Friday night.
The IronPigs had 14 hits in the game with six different players having multi-hit games: J.P. Crawford (2-4), Cedric Hunter (2-4, 2 RBI), Andrew Knapp (2-4, 2 R), Cam Perkins (2-4, 2B, RBI), Brock Stassi (2-3, RBI) and Jesmuel Valentin (2-4, R).
In the top of the second, Valentin reached with a one-out single, advanced to second on a sac bunt and scored Perkins' RBI single to give the Pigs a 1-0 lead.
A two-run third extended the lead to 3-0 as Stassi and Hunter each came through with RBI singles in the frame.
Syracuse starter Taylor Hill (6-11) gave up the three runs on 11 hits to go along with one walk and one strikeout in six innings of work.
An RBI single from Hunter in the top of the seventh opened up a 4-0 advantage for Lehigh Valley.
In the bottom half of the inning, a solo shot from Matt Den Dekker and a two-run shot from Jason Martinson off of Pigs starter Phil Klein brought the Chiefs within 4-3.
Klein (3-1) allowed the three runs (two earned) on five hits while walking one and fanning nine in 6.1 IP. RHP Luis Garcia (0.2 IP, K) got the final two outs to notch the ninth save of the year.
Game Two
The Pigs took the lead for good in the top of the eighth in a 3-2 win over the Syracuse Chiefs in game two of a doubleheader on Friday night.
Syracuse had runners at second and third with one out in the eighth, but Garcia (1.0 IP, BB, 2 K) fanned Jason Martinson and Jhonatan Solano to end the threat. Garcia picked up his 10th save of the season.
In the afore-mentioned top of the eighth, Perkins (2-4, R) led off with a single, advanced to second on a passed ball, to third on a walk and scored on Darnell Sweeney's sac fly to give the IronPigs a 3-2 advantage.
LHP Elvis Araujo (2.0 IP, H, K) earned the win for the Pigs to improve his record to 1-0 on the year.
RHP Rafael Martin (1.0 IP, H, R, ER, 2 BB) was tagged with the loss for the Chiefs and falls to 2-4 on the year.
Syracuse took a 1-0 lead in the fourth as Michael Taylor drew a one-out walk, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on Matt Skole's RBI single.
Pigs starter James Russell (n/d) gave up the one run on two hits while walking one and fanning three in 3.2 IP.
A two-run fifth gave the IronPigs a 2-1 advantage as Darin Ruf knocked home a run via an RBI double and Valentin plated a run via a sac fly.
Syracuse starter Paolo Espino (n/d) allowed the two runs on five hits to go along with a walk and six strikeouts in 6.0 IP.
Zach Collier's RBI double in the home half of the inning tied things at two apiece for the Chiefs.