IronPigs Fall to Fightin Phils in '222 Showcase'

Allentown, PA - Despite a rally that saw the tying run come to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs fell to the Reading Fightin Phils 6-4 on a cold Tuesday night at Coca-Cola Park.

Down 6-1 entering the final half-inning of baseball, the IronPigs scored a trio of runs to bring the tying run to the plate. With nobody out, DH Josh Fields grounded out to first to score 3B Cody Asche. RF Leandro Castro then followed with a sacrifice fly scoring OF Jermaine Mitchell before OF Steve Susdorf singled home C Steven Lerud to make the score 6-4. That's all the IronPigs would get however, as SS Michael Martinez grounded out back to the mound, closing the sixth annual '222 Showcase.'

Lehigh Valley was first to jump on the board, scoring a run in the first inning when OF Tyson Gillies scored on LF Darin Ruf's single down the leftfield line for a 1-0 lead. The teams traded scoreless second and third innings before the visitors plated three in the top of the fourth inning, highlighted by C Sebastian Valle's two-run double. The backstop later came around to score on a double-steal with runners on first and third for a 3-1 Fightins' advantage.

The game remained scoreless until the seventh inning, when DH Ron Welty scored on a wild pitch. Reading tacked on a pair in the eighth, when 3B Tyler Henson tripled to the left-center gap, scoring CF Zach Collier before scoring himself on C Cameron Rupp's single to take a 6-1 lead.

Ethan Martin started for Lehigh Valley, throwing three scoreless frames while striking out five, walking one and surrendering just one hit. Adam Morgan, who suffered the loss, tossed the fourth, allowing three runs on two hits and two walks. Justin Friend and Joe Savery each threw a scoreless inning before Mike Stutes took over in the seventh and proceeded to allow an unearned run on one hit. Cesar Jimenez allowed a pair of runs on three hits in the eighth frame and Justin De Fratus threw a scoreless ninth.

For Reading, Brody Colvin earned the win, surrendering one run on five hits in four innings, striking out six and walking one. J.C. Ramirez earned the save, retiring the only batter he faced to finish the game.

Offensively, Asche and Ruf led the IronPigs 10-hit attack, while former IronPig Derrick Mitchell contributed two of the Fightin Phils seven hits on a night where the temperature sat in the high 30s for most of the evening.

The win evened the all-time series between the squads at 3-3 for the '222 Showcase,' named for the Phillies' affiliates who are located less than 40 miles from one another on U.S. Highway 222. The win marked Reading's second consecutive victory after taking last season's contest 7-6 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The IronPigs open their International League schedule Thursday night, when they host the Syracuse Chiefs at 7:05 p.m. 2012 I.L. Most Valuable Pitcher Tyler Cloyd gets the ball for Lehigh Valley, while righty Ross Ohlendorf goes for Syracuse.