Pigs Sweep Bats, Win Finale 3-1

The IronPigs (35-15) picked up a 3-1 victory and a four-game series sweep of the Louisville Bats (16-33) in front of 8,011 fans Monday afternoon at Coca-Cola Park.

After the Pigs tallied a season-high in runs on back-to-back nights, the Pigs scored just three runs in the 3-1 series sweeping victory over Louisville.
The Pigs jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Daniel Nava hit a ground rule double to right field to put a runner in scoring position with one out in the inning. Jorge Alfaro then sent an RBI double to center field scoring Nava to give the Pigs the early lead.
Nava then roped an RBI single to center field in the top of the third inning, scoring Cameron Perkins to up the Pigs lead to 2-0.
In his first action for his Major League Rehab, Nava went 2-for-2 at the dish with a double, an RBI single and a walk before being replaced by Nick Williams in the top of the seventh inning.
Williams grounded into a fielder's choice in the seventh inning, and came around to score on a Dylan Cozens RBI single to give the Pigs a 3-0 lead. The at-bat was the lone at-bat for Williams on the day, as he saw his 11-game hitting streak come to an end.
Pigs starter Mark Appel (3-2) looked sharp in his 10^th start of the season as the Houston native picked up his third win of the season, tossing five scoreless innings, while surrendering just two hits while walking and striking out a pair.
Adam Morgan tossed two scoreless innings in relief of Appel, bumping the Pigs bullpen's scoreless innings streak to 20 1/3 innings before Pigs closer Pedro Beato yielded just his first run in his last 15 outings in the eighth inning.
In the eighth, Beato retired the first two batters of the inning before Hernan Iribarren doubled to center field to give the Bats a runner in scoring position. After a walk to Brandon Dixon, Rob Brantly sent an RBI single to center field scoring Iribarren to put the Bats on the board as they trailed 3-1 after eight innings.
Beato returned to pitch the top of the ninth and retired the side in order to preserve the Pigs 3-1 victory over the Bats.
Alfaro went 3-for-4 from the plate with an RBI, it was his seventh three-hit game and 14^th multi-hit game of the season.
Lehigh Valley did not hit a home run for the first time in its last nine games, after homering in eight consecutive games. Winners of 21 of their last 23 games, the Pigs have won eight consecutive series and at the time of print have a five game lead over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in the International League's North Division.
The Pigs now hit the road for a six-game road trip beginning with a three-game series Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. with the Indianapolis Indians () at Victory Field. Right-hander Jake Thompson (2-4, 5.68) will start for the Pigs, and the Indians will counter with right-hander Tyler Eppler (3-2, 2.70)
The 2017 Season is the IronPigs 10^th Anniversary season at Coca-Cola Park and 10^th as the top affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The IronPigs are debuting the brand-new Bacon, USA, Membership Program this season -- a year-round IronPigs experience pass featuring numerous new amenities such as savings on parking at games and at the Majestic Clubhouse Store at Coca-Cola Park, on-field VIP access to watch batting practice, access to an annual holiday party, an invitation to an exclusive player and coaches photo session and more. For more information, visit ironpigsbaseball.com or call (610) 841-PIGS (7447). Memberships and group outings are on sale now.
The 2017 IronPigs baseball season is presented by Capital BlueCross.