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IronPigs homer their way to victory in Charlotte

May 18, 2019

Follow @IronPigsThe Lehigh Valley IronPigs (21-18) blasted five home runs in their 10-8 victory Saturday evening at BB&T Ballpark against the Charlotte Knights (22-18).


The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (21-18) blasted five home runs in their 10-8 victory Saturday evening at BB&T Ballpark against the Charlotte Knights (22-18).

Drew Anderson got the start for the Lehigh Valley and struggled as he only managed to pitch 4 1/3 innings. He issued a career-high eight walks while allowing five runs off five hits. Adam Engel hit a solo home run off Anderson in the bottom of the second inning to give Charlotte a 1-0 lead.
 
Deivy Grullon gave the IronPigs a 3-1 lead by hitting a three-run home run off Justin Nicolino in the top of the third inning. The Knights would score four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 5-3 lead. Zack Collins and Alfredo González both walked with the bases loaded. Ryan Goins hit an RBI single, while Collins scored on a wild pitch. 
 
Mitch Walding blasted a three-run home run off Nicolino in the top of the sixth inning to give Lehigh Valley a 6-5 lead. The home run was Walding's fifth of the season. Charlotte answered with two runs off Kyle Dohy in the bottom of the sixth inning to re-take the lead, 7-6. Daniel Palka homered, and Collins hit a sacrifice fly to score Matt Skole. 
 
Ali Castillo hit his first home run of the season off Matt Foster (1-1) in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game at 7-7. The Pigs scored three more runs off Foster in the top of the eighth inning to extend their lead to 10-7. Grullon hit his second home run of the game and seventh of the season. Matt McBride added a two-run home run, which was his second home run of the season. 
 
Tom Windle (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings in relief before Luke Leftwich gave up a run in the bottom of the eighth. Palka homered for the second time in the game to cut Lehigh Valley's lead to 10-8. Yacksel Ríos recorded the final four outs of the game to earn his third save of the season.
 
The IronPigs and Knights play on Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. 
 
The 2019 IronPigs season is the team's 12th as the top affiliate for the Philadelphia Phillies and 12th at Coca-Cola Park. Follow the IronPigs on Twitter at @IronPigs and like them on Facebook via Facebook.com/LHVIronPigs
 
The 2019 IronPigs season is presented by Capital BlueCross.