IronPigs Take Two from Paw Sox to Open Series
ALLENTOWN, PA - The Lehigh Valley IronPigs used a pair of 12-hit games to take both contests from the Pawtucket Red Sox Monday night at Coca-Cola Park, winning game one 6-1 before taking the second game 5-2.
The first game, which was the conclusion of a game suspended after two scoreless innings on April 10th, belonged to the IronPigs by a 6-1 tally. After surrendering a run in the third inning after the game was resumed, lefty Greg Smith (1-0) did not allow a run from the fourth to the seventh inning, going five total innings and allowing just a run on five hits. Luis Garcia picked up the save with two scoreless frames in the eighth and ninth. Interestingly, the win for Smith and save for Garcia were each technically their first, since the game's stats were retroactive to April 10th.
In the fifth Lehigh Valley (48-45) used a big frame to take the lead for good, as the first six hitters all reached. After Tyson Gillies and Steve Susdorf singled, Steven Lerud followed with an RBI single to right field. A Michael Martinez single then loaded the bases, before Leandro Castro doubled to left, clearing the bases and giving the IronPigs a 4-1 advantage.
The squads then remained silent until the eighth frame when Martinez again came through, this time delivering a two-run, two-out single up the middle to score Freddy Galvis and Susdorf to take a 6-1 lead.
Susdorf went 3-for-4 and scored a pair of runs, while Josh Fields had two hits and also walked in the 12-hit attack.
Chris Hernandez (0-1) took the loss for the Paw Sox, allowing four runs on six hits in 2 2/3 frames.
In game two the IronPigs again tallied 12 hits, this time en route to a 5-2 win over the visitors.
Pawtucket (52-39) scored the contest's first run for the second straight time, plating a pair in the top of the first inning.
However, Lehigh Valley rebounded in the third, plating four runs. Cody Overbeck drove in the first run with a double to right-center field. Two batters later Fields doubled home a pair of runs before Castro joined the party, singling home Fields for a 4-2 advantage.
In the fifth the IronPigs struck for one more, as again Overbeck delivered with a double to left field that scored Galvis.
Cesar Jimenez (4-1) got the win for the 'Pigs, tossing 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief while allowing just one hit and Mauricio Robles earned his third save, throwing the seventh and allowing just a walk. Jeremy Kehrt (0-2) suffered the loss for the Paw Sox, allowing five runs on 11 hits in just 3 1/3 frames.
Offensively for the IronPigs Galvis, Asche and Overbeck combined to go 7-for-11, while scoring four times and driving in two. Out of the nine starters, eight hit safely in the contest with the exception being Erik Kratz (0-for-3) who began his Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network rehab Monday night.
The four-game series continues Tuesday, as RHP Tyler Cloyd (1-8, 7.69) takes the mound for the IronPigs against LHP Drake Britton (NR) for the Paw Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Coca-Cola Park.
Bacon Bits: Had game one counted for current stats, Smith would have improved to 4-1, Garcia would have picked up his third save, Hernandez would have fallen to 3-5 and Martinez would have a nine-game hitting streak… The Red Sox scored in just two of the 14 innings they batted Monday night.