Late runs doom Bisons in 5-4 loss to Lehigh Valley Tuesday morning
Alletown, PA – The Lehigh Valley IronPigs were able to use a pair of late-game runs to outlast the Buffalo Bisons 5-4 on Tuesday morning at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, PA. Alan Roden wasted little time giving the Bisons a 1-0 lead. The outfielder launched a solo home run leading
Alletown, PA – The Lehigh Valley IronPigs were able to use a pair of late-game runs to outlast the Buffalo Bisons 5-4 on Tuesday morning at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, PA.
Alan Roden wasted little time giving the Bisons a 1-0 lead. The outfielder launched a solo home run leading off the game for his third home run since joining Buffalo less than two weeks ago. The leadoff home run was the first to start a game for the team since Otto Lopez on September 4, 2021 against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Lehigh Valley would have the answer in the bottom of the first inning that would tie the game at one. Otto Kemp hit an opposite field one out solo home run to right field for his 11th of the season. The home run off of CJ Van Eyk evened the score 1-1 after an inning. The IronPigs scored two runs in the bottom of the third to open up a 3-1 lead. Kemp drove in Rodolfo Castro for the second Lehigh Valley run, followed by an RBI groundout by Gabriel Rincones Jr.
Van Eyk was making his Triple-A debut with the Bisons on Tuesday, promoted from New Hampshire in time to make the start against Lehigh Valley. The right-hander pitched five innings, allowing three runs on three hits and struck out three batters.
The Bisons used another home run to tie the game 3-3 in the top of the fifth inning against IronPigs starter Alan Rangel. Josh Rivera hit a two-run home run to right field and scored Rainer Nunez. Rivera’s second home run in the last three games was the second of three straight extra base hits off of Rangel. Nunez and Roden each doubled, in addition to the two-run homer.
Lehigh Valley was able to plate a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to secure the victory in the opening game of the series. Oscar Mercado was hit by a pitch with one out and scored two batters later after a double steal with Erick Brito. Ali Sanchez’s errant throw past third base allowed Mercado to score for a 4-3 IronPigs advantage. Rodolfo Castro would add an RBI base hit that proved to be the game-winning run, scoring Brito and making the score 5-3.
Buffalo had the tying run at third base in the top of the ninth inning but were unable to score Roden and even the game at five. Nunez hit a one out single, scoring thanks to a Joey Loperfido RBI single to right field that moved Roden from first to third base. However, Devin Sweet was able to preserve the one run win 5-4 and add his first save of the season.
The two teams are scheduled to meet for game two of the six-game series on Wednesday evening at Coca-Cola Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. with Lazaro Estrada starting for the Bisons. You can listen to all of the action on The Bet 1520 AM, the Audacy App, and Bisons.com with the ‘Voice of the Bisons’ Pat Malacaro and Dave Popkin starting at 6:25 p.m.