Pigs Sweep Twin Bill Over RailRiders

The IronPigs (79-62) swept the twin bill over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (86-54) Sunday night at Coca-Cola Park before 9,701 fans.

The Pigs walked off with a 3-2 win in game one of Sunday night's doubleheader and took game two by the score of 2-0 to set up a potential Wild Card clinching game Monday afternoon. The Pigs can clinch the league's final playoff spot with a win or a Rochester Red Wings loss, as the Red Wings fell to the Pawtucket Red Sox 7-2 Sunday night.
 The doubleheader sweep of the RailRiders also clinches the coveted IronRail Series for the IronPigs, winning 10 of 17 games in the series after the sweep.
Pedro Beato came on to toss the final inning of game two, retiring the side in order to give the Pigs a 2-0 win in game two and a sweep of the double dip.
In a must win game Pigs game two starter José Taveras tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out four batters. The right-hander picked up his third win as an IronPig.
J.P. Crawford scored Nick Rickles with a two-bagger in the bottom of the third, giving the Pigs an early 1-0 advantage in game two.
Rickles then gave the Pigs an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning, as the Pigs catcher roped a RBI single to right to score Dylan Cozens who walked to lead off the frame.
With the game tied at 2 in the top of the seventh inning of game one, the RailRider had the go-ahead run 90 feet away at third base in Mason Williams. After Williams reached on an infield single, he was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Francisco Diaz. He then advanced to third on a ground out by Jonathan Diaz to Pigs first baseman Brock Stassi who shoveled over to Pigs reliever Pat Venditte for the second out.
Venditte then settled down with Williams on third and struck out Tyler Wade to end the RailRiders threat.
The Pigs then walked off in the bottom of the seventh inning, as J.P. Crawford laced a game-winning RBI single that ducked in fair on the left field line to score Odúbel Herrera to give the Pigs a 3-2 victory in game one.
After Logan Moore flew out to left, three-consecutive singles led to the Pigs walk-off win. Herrera singled to left, and Scott Kingery singled up the middle before Crawford's game winner.
The RailRiders took the early lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning, scoring the first run on a two-out solo home run by Jonathan Diaz to give Scranton a 1-0 lead. Wade then came around to score on a Donovan Solano RBI double to left-center to up the RailRiders lead to 2-0.
After the RailRiders scored two in the top of the third, the Pigs responded with a run to cut the lead in half. RailRiders game one starter issued a one-out walk to Logan Moore, who came around to score on a passed ball to cut the lead to 2-1.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Andrew Pullin sent a one-out line drive home run that just scraped over the right-center field wall to tie the game at 2. For Pullin it was his 20^th combined home run of the year, and his sixth with the IronPigs.
The Pigs conclude their four-game series against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The Pigs will send right-hander Henderson Alvarez III (1-0,3.75), and the RailRiders had yet to announce their starter. First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. and the World Famous Phillie Phanatic will make an appearance at Coca-Cola Park.
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.