NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Iron Pigs Win Opening Game of the Series 6-4

April 26, 2012 - International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees News Release


Allentown, PA - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's (9-10) attempt at a sixth come from behind win fell short on Thursday night against the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (13-8) at Coca-Cola Park. The Yankees had runners at second and third with no out in the ninth inning but could not get the game tying hit as the Iron Pigs stranded the two runners and hung on for a 6-4 win.

The Yankess started quickly against Lehigh Valley starter Dave Bush (WP, 2-2) with single runs in each of the first two innings. Dewayne Wise, who entered play on Thursday night tied with Toledo's Brad Eldred for the top average in the IL at .389, launched a Bush delivery over the wall in right field for a solo homer and SWB led 1-0. The Yankees added another single tally in the second inning on an RBI ground out from Colin Curtis. Kevin Russo led off the inning with a single and moved to second base on a base hit that followed by Ramiro Pena. Doug Bernier's sac bunt moved the runners to second and third before Russo scored on Curtis' ground out to first.

SWB starter Ramon Ortiz (LP, 0-2) was cruising along through the first 2.0 innings retiring all six Iron Pigs hitters he faced. Lehigh Valley sent nine men to the plate in the third scoring four. A Pena error at shortstop allowed lead off man Derrick Mitchell to reach. Ortiz hit the next batter he faced Tuffy Gosewisch before allowing an RBI single to Andres Blanco to cut the lead to 2-1. Mike Fontenot double home a run with one down following a Scott Podsednik fly out to tie the game at 2-2. Domonic Brown plated Blanco and Fontenot with a two RBI double to left and the Pigs led 4-1.

Ortiz was finished after 5.2 innings and 90 pitches. The right hander allowed four earned runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts and a hit batsman. Left hander Mike O'Connor replaced Ortiz and finished off the top of the sixth inning after allowing a single to the first batter he faced. The Iron Pigs got two big insurance runs in the seventh on the second homer of the season from Erik Kratz, who took O'Connor over the wall in dead center for a two run shot and a 6-2 lead.

The Yankees picked up a pair of runs in the eighth inning to get back to within two runs. Bush, the Iron Pigs starter was lifted after the sixth in favor of southpaw David Purcey. Bush allowed seven hits and two earned runs with one walk and four strikeouts. Purcey pitched around a hit batsman and a single to complete the seventh without allowing a run. SWB scored two in the eighth inning to bring the deficit back to two runs. A Russo RBI double off Purcey and a wild pitch from Phillippe Aumont, who replaced Purcey with one out in the eight got the score to 6-4. SWB has second and third in the ninth against Jake Diekman (S, 2) after back-to-back hits to open the inning, a single from Wise and a double by Steve Pearce. The Yankees would strand the runners as Diekman got a pair of strikeouts and a ground out to end the ball game.

Pearce went 2-3 on the night to extend his season high hit streak to 10 games.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre continues the four game "home" series with Lehigh Valley on Friday night at Coca-Cola Park with a 7:05 PM first pitch. Right hander Dellin Betances (0-2, 8.83) will start for the Yankees while the Iron Pigs will send righty Austin Hyatt (2-1, 2.53) to the mound.

• Discuss this story on the International League message board...

International League Stories from April 26, 2012


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central