WooSox’ Bats Fall Quiet in 6-3 Loss to IronPigs
ALLENTOWN, PA –– The Worcester Red Sox (42-30)/(77-70) surrendered six unanswered runs on Thursday night in their 6-3 loss to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (33-37)/(67-76) in the third game of their six-game set in Allentown, Pennsylvania. With the defeat, the WooSox drop a game behind Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the International League
ALLENTOWN, PA –– The Worcester Red Sox (42-30)/(77-70) surrendered six unanswered runs on Thursday night in their 6-3 loss to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (33-37)/(67-76) in the third game of their six-game set in Allentown, Pennsylvania. With the defeat, the WooSox drop a game behind Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the International League East lead with three games left to play.
Through the first four innings of Thursday night’s ballgame, both starting pitchers seemed to be at their best. Coming off consecutive starts where he allowed one run over six innings, Brad Keller scattered three hits and struck out four for the WooSox while IronPigs starter Tyler Phillips allowed one hit and faced the minimum.
With one out in the fifth inning, Jamie Westbrook successfully challenged a strike three call with a full count to break Phillips’ streak of 12 straight outs. With Westbrook aboard, Bobby Dalbec laced a 111 mph opposite field double to put two in scoring position with Tyler McDonough stepping to the plate.
The WooSox’ outfielder grounded a curveball between first and second, but Jim Haley couldn’t come up with it as Westbrook came across for the first run of the game. Reese McGuire followed with an RBI double into the left field corner to bring home Dalbec, and Philip Sikes RBI groundout gave Worcester a 3-0 lead.
Now pitching with a three-run cushion, Keller allowed a two-out double to Calos De La Cruz but struck Scott Kingery out swinging to end the fifth. Heading into the sixth, Keller looked to make it three straight outings allowing one run or less over six innings. But on Thursday, the IronPigs’ offense got to Keller before he could complete the sixth.
The ‘Pigs loaded the bases with nobody out and scored their first run of the game on Rafael Marchan’s RBI groundout. After Ryan McKenna’s sacrifice fly cut the lead to one and Ethan Wilson’s two-out knock to center, Keller’s day was done. With men on the corners, the Georgia native handed the ball to Robert Kwiatkowski who looked to pick up the final out of the inning.
One of several promotions from Double-A Portland prior to the series opener on Tuesday, Kwiatkowski made his fourth appearance with Worcester this season and first since May 7. In his previous three outings, the Marshall University product had not allowed a run in 6.1 innings. But on Thursday, Kwiatkowski could not hold the lead for Worcester, as Wilson swiped second base to put two in scoring position for Haley, who made up for his fifth inning error with a two-run single to put Lehigh Valley in front, 4-3.
Haley’s two-run single closed the book on Keller, who ended his night with a line of 5.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K.
In the seventh, the IronPigs continued to add against Kwiatkowski. With a man on and two outs, Darick Hall belted a two-run shot over the wall in right-center to give Lehigh Valley a 6-3 lead.
The three-run deficit would be too much for Worcester to overcome on Thursday night as IronPigs’ pitching retired the final 13 batters they faced––the second time in the game that at least 12 straight WooSox were set down in order.
With their 6-3 loss on Thursday, Keller (L, 4-4) was handed the defeat while Phillips (W, 8-5) earned the victory for Lehigh Valley. It marked the first time the WooSox have lost two consecutive games on the road since they lost three straight to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre from July 25-27.
The WooSox and IronPigs will continue their six-game series at 7:05 p.m. on Friday night in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Justin Hagenman (4-6, 5.03) is scheduled to make his final start of the year opposite Seth Johnson (2-1, 2.70) for Lehigh Valley. Radio coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.