LAWRENCEVILLE, GA - Mike Soroka allowed just one run and three hits over 4.1 innings in his first Gwinnett rehab start, but the Stripers' offense was shut down by Drew Anderson and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in a 5-1 loss Wednesday night at Coolray Field.
LAWRENCEVILLE, GA - Mike Soroka allowed just one run and three hits over 4.1 innings in his first Gwinnett rehab start, but the Stripers' offense was shut down by Drew Anderson and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in a 5-1 loss Wednesday night at Coolray Field.
Soroka (L, 2-1), making his second rehab start overall and first start with the Stripers since April 23, struck out seven and walked one while throwing 73 pitches.
His only blemish came in the third inning, when Matt McBride led off with a double. After a strikeout of Anderson, Dean Anna hit a double down the left-field line to give the IronPigs a 1-0 lead.
Anderson (W, 2-1) held the Stripers scoreless over 5.1 innings, allowing five hits and one walk while striking out five. Gwinnett had multiple runners reach base in the first, fourth and seventh innings but weren't able to plate any runs in those frames.
Lehigh Valley's big inning came in the seventh as it brought all nine batters to the plate. Reliever Philip Pfeifer loaded the bases after hitting Logan Moore and allowing singles to McBride and pinch-hitter Trevor Plouffe. He hit Anna with a pitch to score the game's second run and was then pulled for Evan Phillips with the bases still full.
Phillips surrendered RBI groundouts to Alexi Amarista and Joey Meneses, and an RBI single to Adron Chambers to make it 5-0. All told, the IronPigs scored four runs in the seventh, all charged to Pfeifer.
Carlos Franco saved the Stripers from being shut out with a solo home run to lead off the ninth. It was his 10th on the season and plated his International League-leading 40th RBI. But the Stripers couldn't muster a rally after a Rob Brantly pinch-hit single and fell 5-1.
Franco and Michael Reed each went 2-for-4 to lead Gwinnett, as Reed extended his on-base streak to eight games.
On the mound, Rex Brothers got two outs without allowing a baserunner, Phillips finished with 1.2 innings, one hit, one walk and a strikeout, and David Peterson worked 1.1 innings with only a walk allowed.
Chambers paced Lehigh Valley with a 3-for-4 night, while McBride was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Left-hander Max Fried (1-2, 3.42 ERA) will get the start for Gwinnett (24-32) in the Thursday's matinee, beginning at 12:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. Righty Enyel De Los Santos (5-3, 1.70 ERA) will go for Lehigh Valley (32-25). Dave Lezotte will have the play-by-play call on 97.7 and 93.5 FM The Other Side of the River beginning at 11:35 a.m.
