What a great day! The sun was shining, the sky clear and a cool breeze coming through at the Coke. It was also dog day! (More on dog day in The Morning After column tomorrow)
The Pigs got on the board early and often. Scoring in the first with a Castro double, a walk, runners moved up on a flyball out then a Sacrifice fly by Darin Ruf put the Pigs ahead 1-0 early.
In the second, the Pigs used 4 singles and 2 groundouts to push the score to 3-0.
Syracuse struck back in the third topped off with a Corey Brown HR.
Not to be outdone, the Pigs tied it up in the bottom half of the third using a Walk and a Cody Asche double with some ground outs to level the field at 4. They added 2 more in the 5th to go ahead 6-4.
The Chiefs pushed back again scoring two in the top of the 8th with a Zach Walters 2 run HR.
Breaking the tie, Syracuse swiped another 2 runs when Corey Brown hit another 2 run HR putting the Chiefs up 8-6 in the top of the ninth.
For the IronPig Pitching staff:
IronPig starter Ethan Martin went 4.1 innings allowing 4 earned runs on 3 hits. He walked 4 and struck out 3.
Cesar Jimenez took over for Martin pitching 2 scoreless innings allowing no runs on 2 hit collecting 3 strikeouts and no free passes.
Zach Miner came in for the 8th and allowed Syracuse back in the game with 2 hits and a walk allowed including Walter’s two run shot. He stayed in for the ninth allowing the 2 run Brown homer and takes home the loss.
(So many blown saves so early in the season… does anyone have Gary Majewski’s cell number?)
Final Score: Chiefs 8 – IronPigs 6
The bullpen, slightly depleted from the extra inning game last night, continues to struggle. The bats, though, seem to have woken up with 12 IronPig hits this afternoon! Also, Joseph threw out his first base stealer of the year in the 8th!
The Chiefs leave the Lehigh Valley winning 3 of the 4 game set. Stat of the series is Syracuse Home runs = 8, IronPig Home runs = 0.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s combined comment post in the “Morning After”
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I left the ballpark less than happy, knowing we have three games next with the 3-0 PawSox — who, btw, took those three games from Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Watching another reliever (a closer, no less!) blow up and cost us the game was not my idea of fun.
I can understand that Brundage is new, the players are new, and he and Burris need to see what they can do. So I understand why they didn’t yank the guy today after he gave up the first 2-run home run, which tied the game. Just like I understand why they didn’t yank Cloyd before he got bombed into submission, and Pettibone before … well, you know what happened there.
But I sure hope this examination period doesn’t last too long. Otherwise we’re gonna be so far behind in the Northern Division that we might as well go back to “the Good Old Days.” Remember those? When Morris camped out in a tent on the left field foul pole until we finally got our first win of the season?
Or until our good pitchers lose their confidence completely from shellshock.
Time to wonder how much freedom a Hall of Famer/Potential future Phillies manager had managing the AAA team.
ehh, I just feel like he really didn’t have any choice yesterday. After an extra-inning game and starters who couldn’t go deep into games, it’s just not time to start blowing up arms for one game. It was Miner’s game to win and he didn’t. So be it. This pen will be better, just give them some time.