Courtesy of RedWingsBaseball.com
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs came out swinging on Monday, as a four homer night was enough to beat the Rochester Red Wings, 6-2, at Coca-Cola Park.
With the loss, the Wings fall 1.5 GB of the IronPigs for first place in the IL North.
Red Wings starter Dietrich Enns (L, 2-5) allowed five runs, all earned, on six hits, three walks and three strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched. Three home runs were given up by Enns, who allowed only three homers combined in all of his minor league appearances last season.
Lehigh Valley’s starter Drew Anderson threw five innings, surrendering one run on three hits, three walks and five strikeouts.
Zach Granite led off the game with a single. After advancing to second on a wild pitch, he scored on a Kennys Vargas RBI single, giving Rochester (21-17) an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Lehigh Valley didn’t waste time taking back the lead in the bottom of the first. Collin Cowgill hit a two-run home run following a leadoff single. Danny Ortiz also contributed an RBI single, making it a 3-1 ballgame.
The IronPigs’ lead was extended to 5-1 in the bottom half of the fourth inning with two solo home runs, one hit by former Red Wing Trevor Plouffe. Following the second homer, D.J. Baxendale (2.1 IP) replaced Enns with two outs in the inning.
After a hit-by-pitch, walk and single loaded the bases with one out, Taylor Featherstonknocked a sac fly to center, cutting the Rochester deficit to 5-2 in the top of the sixth inning.
Luke Bard (1 IP) replaced Baxendale to begin the seventh inning and gave up a solo home run to the first batter he faced, adding a final insurance run for the IronPigs and increasing their lead to 6-2.
Jake Reed (1 IP) pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth inning for Rochester. The series continues Tuesday night as Trevor May (0-1, 2.25) continues his rehab assignment with the Red Wings.
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