Plouffe's late homer lift Pigs over RailRiders

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Tied at two with two outs in the bottom of eighth inning, Trevor Plouffe belted a solo home run put the Pigs on top in a 3-2 victory Monday at Coca-Cola Park. The Pigs are now a season-high 13 games above .500.

Starter Enyel De Los Santos did not earn a decision in the ballgame but tossed six solid innings for Lehigh Valley. The IL ERA leader allowed just two runs, a pair of solo home runs, and five hits. De Los Santos struck out five and walked two. He has allowed three runs or fewer in all 14 starts this season and two or fewer in 12. 
The Pigs jumped on the board early with two runs in the opening frame against Josh Rogers. Three straight two-out doubles by the heart of the Pigs order - Collin Cowgill, Joey Meneses and Trevor Plouffe -- put the IronPigs up 2-0. The RailRiders leveled the score with runs in the second and fifth innings.
The Pigs had a chance for a quick answer in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded, Plouffe was robbed on a leaping grab by the shortstop Tyler Wade to keep the game tied. 

Plouffe put the Pigs back on top in the eighth when he took JP Feyereisen (3-2) deep to right field to break the deadlock. The home run by Plouffe broke a streak of nine straight IronPigs retired by RailRiders pitching. It was the first hit for the IronPigs since a single by Danny Ortiz in the fourth inning.
Plouffe finished the game with two RBIs and a pair of extra-base hits. Cowgill, Meneses and Plouffe combined for five of the team's six hits including four extra-base hits. 
Jake Thompson (1-1) tossed two scoreless innings, striking out four in relief of De Los Santos. Thompson and Tom Windle (3) combined to retire all nine batter that they faced out of the pen. The Pigs combined to retire the final 11 RailRiders in the game and did not allow a hit after the fifth.
The Pigs and RailRiders resume the Iron Rail Rivalry tomorrow night at 7:05 with Cole Irvin on the mound. It is soccer night at Coca-Cola Park and 1,500 fans 17-and-under will receive a bacon scarf.
The 2018 Season is the IronPigs' 11th season at Coca-Cola Park and 11th as the top affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Fans can get closer to the team than ever before with a Bacon, USA membership -- a year-round IronPigs experience pass featuring numerous amenities such as savings on parking at games and at the Majestic Clubhouse Store at Coca-Cola Park, on-field VIP access to watch batting practice, access to the annual holiday party, and more. For more information, click here or call (610) 841-PIGS (7447).
The 2018 IronPigs baseball season is presented by Capital BlueCross.