Matheny Delivers Three-Run Homer in Loss at Lehigh Valley

ALLENTOWN, P.A. — Eight unanswered runs over the span of three consecutive innings led the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (29-40) past the Worcester Red Sox (37-30) 11-4 in game four of a seven-game series with 10,100 in attendance at Coca-Cola Park on Friday night.

Starter Connor Seabold (0-1) was activated off of the WooSox injured list prior to the game and made his Triple-A debut. He allowed six runs (three earned) on only three hits in 3.1 innings pitched while throwing 73 pitches (47 strikes), walking four while punching out one.

The two teams traded runs in the first two innings, with an RBI triple by Lehigh's Mickey Moniak in the first and an RBI single from Josh Ockimey in the second making the score 1-1. Lehigh Valley scored the game's next eight runs, including a three-run fourth, to even the series at 2-2.

The offensive onslaught began in the third, when Moniak came to the plate with two on and two outs and cracked a two-run double to right-center against Seabold. It was his second of three extra-base hits on the night.

Up 3-1 in the fourth, the IronPigs loaded the bases with one out on two errors and a walk, knocking Seabold from the game. Matt Hall entered and induced a high chopper to first by Dalton Guthrie, but Josh Ockimey mishandled the ball for an error. It trickled into short right field as two scored, and then a throwing error from right fielder Yairo Munoz allowed another run to come home on the play, extending the lead to 6-1. The three-run inning came without Lehigh Valley collecting a hit, as Worcester was charged with four errors in the frame.

Darick Hall came through a run-scoring single in the fifth, part of a string of three straight singles against Hall. Logan Moore followed the knock from Hall with a sac-fly to center, and two innings later, Hall went deep off Durbin Feltman to make it 9-1.

Feltman, making his Triple-A debut, allowed three runs in two innings with one strikeout.

Here’s a look at that Tate Matheny 3-run blast ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/l8Cs551YvB

— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) July 24, 2021

Worcester’s offense came alive in the eighth, putting two on for Tate Matheny. The centerfielder blasted a three-run shot over the right field wall for his second Triple-A homer of the year, cutting the deficit to 9-4. Lehigh Valley came back with two of its own in the bottom of the inning on a Matt Vierling two-run single and a sac-fly from Daniel Brito, sealing the 11-4 IronPigs victory.

The WooSox continue the series Saturday with a doubleheader at 4:35 p.m. at Coca-Cola Park versus the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Radio coverage starts live at 4:30 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network. Raynel Espinal (7-2) is set to start game one for Worcester.