Pigs Notch First Win in Wild 16-Inning Affair
In the bottom of the 16th, Lehigh Valley INF/OF Russ Canzler drew a two-out, bases loaded walk off PawSox OF Quintin Berry (0.2 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB) that plated Chase d'Arnaud and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs picked up their first win of the 2015 season by a final score of 7-6 in 16 innings over the Pawtucket Red Sox on Sunday afternoon at Coca-Cola Park. With the win, the Pigs are 1-3 on the season while Pawtucket drops to 3-1.
Canzler also earned the win for manager Dave Brundage's squad as he pitched the top half of the 16th inning and allowed one run on two hits. The Berwick, PA native is 1-0 on the year.
Berry was charged with the loss for Pawtucket and is 0-1 on the season.
It matches the longest game in IronPigs history, done twice previously on May 18, 2010 vs. Louisville and on July 5, 2014 at Rochester.
Trailing 5-4 in the 13th, the IronPigs were able to mount a rally and tie the game against Red Sox infielder Jeff Bianchi (3.0 IP, 3 H, R, ER) when Tommy Joseph drove home Brian Bogusevic with an RBI double off the wall in right centerfield.
A 4-3 IronPigs lead held until Luke Montz tied it for the Red Sox on a solo shot off RHP Tyler Knigge (3.0 IP, H, R, ER, BB, 2 K) with one out in the top of the ninth inning. It was the first home run of the season for Montz.
Maikel Franco came through with what was the go-ahead RBI double at the time in the bottom of the seventh, his third RBI double in the last two games. With the bases loaded and one away earlier in the inning, Chris Nelson delivered a two-run single for the Pigs that tied things at three apiece. All three runs were charged to PawSox RHP Dalier Hinojosa (1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K).
Back-to-back doubles from Nelson (3-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R) and Franco (3-7, 2 2B, 2 RBI) gave Lehigh Valley an early 1-0 lead in the home half of the first.
The PawSox responded quickly though in the top of the second as Quintin Berry knocked a one-out double to right, stole third and scored on an RBI single by Humberto Quintero. Jackie Bradley Jr. continued his hot start to the season with an RBI single of his own later in the inning to give Pawtucket a 2-1 advantage.
That would be the last scoring for either side until the top of the sixth.
IronPigs LHP Adam Morgan-making his first start since August 29, 2013-received a no-decision but battled his way through four innings and allowed two runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts. He threw 84 pitches, 48 of which were strikes.
Morgan's counterpart, Pawtucket lefty Eddie Rodriguez allowed a run on five hits and fanned three over 5.2 innings of work but did not factor in the decision.
The PawSox were able to stretch the lead to 3-1 at one point, courtesy of a two-out RBI triple from Jemile Weeks in the sixth against Pigs reliever Phillippe Aumont (4.0 IP, 3 H, R, ER, 2 BB, 4 K).
Lehigh Valley recorded 14 hits in the game- 8 of which came from the trio of Franco, Nelson and d'Arnaud. Franco made a couple of nice defensive plays as well with an over the shoulder grab of a sharp line drive down the line and a barehanded, off balance throw to nail the runner at first on a slow roller on the infield grass.
RHP Miguel Celestino (3.0 IP, 2 H, BB, K) and LHP Dana Eveland (2.0 IP, 2 K) combined to throw five innings of scoreless relief for manager Kevin Boles and the PawSox.
Pawtucket plated a run in the top of the 13th for the second day in a row, this time around courtesy of a bases-loaded walk issued by RHP Seth Rosin (2.0 IP, 2 H, R, ER, 2 BB, K) to Montz.
LHP Adam Loewen (2.0 IP, H, K) tossed a scoreless 14th and 15th for Lehigh Valley.
Having played 29 innings in just over 24 hours, the IronPigs will be right back at it on Monday night when they host the Syracuse Chiefs in the first of a 3-game set. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. RHP Paul Clemens gets the ball for Lehigh Valley while RHP Bruce Billings will go for Syracuse.
The best statistical tidbit of the afternoon came from IronPigs Director of Media Relations/Broadcaster Matt Provence who noted that prior to today, the last time a position player pitched for Lehigh Valley was August 29, 2013. That also happens to be the day of Morgan's last start.