Someone turned up the thermostat and tonight’s game started out at around 75 degrees. What a change since the opening series vs. Syracuse.
But.. the opponents bats stayed hot as evident when Pawsox lead off hitter Jeremy Hazelbaker took BJ Rosenberg deep putting Pawtucket up 1-0. A couple hits and outs later Bryce Brentz hit a 2 run homer in currently windy Coca Cola Park.
The Pigs got one back in the bottom of the inning on a Cody Asche solo HR, the first for the IronPigs this season.
Cody Asche HR! Photo – Cheryl Pursell
In the top of the second Pawtucket added 2 more runs taking the game to 5-1.
But.. Cody Overbeck smashed a HR into the Bullpen to close the gap a bit at 5-2.
Asche came through again in the 3rd belting a 2 run double to bring the Pigs with 1 run! He was pushed home by a Darin Ruf off the top of the wall double! Tie game!
Joseph hit an 0-2 pitch to drive in Ruf and allow the Pigs their first lead of the game!
Both starting pitchers did not reach the 4th inning.
Pawtucket’s Rubby De La Rosa was pulled mid-3rd inning allowing 5 runs on 4 hits and a single walk.
BJ Rosenberg completed the 3rd allowing 5 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks. He struck out 3 tossing 81 pitches for 44 strikes. (yikes)
Justin Friend came in to open the 4th and helped along the IronPig’s 2 inning shutout streak.
Hernandez belted out his 10th hit of the season with an RBI single putting the Pigs ahead 7-5.
A wild pitch made it 8-5!
Another run in on a Cody Overbeck hit making it 9-5!
In the 5th Jermaine Mitchell socked a ground rule double scoring Leandro Castro who singled and stole 2nd base. IronPigs up 10-5.
That was it for Pawtucket pitcher Graham Godfrey. Godfrey lasted 1.2 innings allowing 5 runs on 7 hits and one walk.
In came Chris Carpenter. Who loaded the bases with an inherited runner, a walk and a hit by pitch on hot hitting Asche. That ball doesn’t hit Cody and Mitchell scores easily.
Carpenter got out of trouble ending the inning with a fly out from Darin Ruf.
At this point, IronPig Radio legend Matt Provence pointed out that the Pigs had scored in every inning so far with one of his best lines yet, “With a run in each innin’ the Pigs are a winnin!”
Classic stuff!
Friend’s night was over after the 6th, tossing 3 innings of scoreless baseball allowing 2 hits, 2 walks and striking out 4. 46 pitches for 27 strikes.
The Pigs didn’t score in the 6th. 3 up and 3 down… well kinda. Castro singled but was caught stealing.
Congrats to our friend Bob for winning the trivia contest tonight! He knew it was former IronPig Brandon Duckworth who tied for the most wins for a Pawtucket pitcher last season! My guess was Nelson Figueroa who did have 12 wins but did not pitch the entire season for the Pawsox.
Mike Stutes took over to pitch the 7th for the Pigs. He walked 2 but shut the Pawsox down providing the season’s longest scoreless innings streak of the season so far at 5 innings.
To start the bottom of the 7th, IronPig resident speedster Jermaine Mitchell hustled around the bases and turned a standard base hit into a double!
Mitchell moved to third when Pete Orr reached after a dropped third strike. (The 2nd of the night against Pawtucket)
Pawsox Catcher Ryan Lavarnway then allowed another passed ball with Mitchell scoring.
Tyson Gillies struck out on another ball in the dirt but Lavarnway successfully made the throw to first. Carpenter was then pulled after allowing 1 run on 2 hits in 2.1 innings.
Pawsox reliever Alex Wilson came on to get a quick out moving the game to the 8th.
Stutes shut down Pawtucket 1-2-3 in the top half of the 8th.
Starting off the 8th was Cody Overbeck with a single then Tommy Joseph hit the first AAA home run of his career bringing the Pig’s lead to 14-5 and also signaled the end of Alex Wilson’s night on the mound. Wilson leaves after pitching .2 innings allowing 3 runs on 3 hits.
Replacing Wilson was former IronPig (2010) Oscar Villareal.
Villareal closed out the rest of the inning with no score.
Jake Diekman came in to close out the ninth.
Final line for Stutes: 2 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits with 2 walks and two strikeouts.
Diekman delivered. Pigs win!
Final Score: Pawtucket 5 – Lehigh Valley – 14
Tonight should have an impact on the rest of this 3 game series. The Pawsox burned through 4 relievers. Let’s hope the Pigs keep rolling.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s combined post in the “Morning After”
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