NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Lehigh Valley IronPigs

Pigs Look to Win Fourth Straight Series

April 27, 2017 - International League (IL1)
Lehigh Valley IronPigs News Release


Columbus, OH -The IronPigs conclude their three-game set with the Columbus Clippers Thursday morning at 11:35 a.m. at Huntington Park. The Pigs are looking to win their fourth-consecutive series with a win in today's rubber match.

The Pigs will start RHP Ben Lively (2-1, 3.18) and the Clippers will send RHP Travis Barnwart (0-0, 0.00). Today's starting pitching matchup is presented by Allentown Family Foot Care, which provides the latest in medical and surgical treatments of the entire foot and ankle. Learn more at affc.com.

RHP Ben Lively makes his fourth start of the season with the Pigs after picking up his second win of 2017 in his last outing against Toledo on April 22. The right-hander tossed six innings allowing just one run on four hits while striking out four in the Pigs 6-1 win over the Mud Hens. The Pensacola, Fl., native is ranked as the Phillies No. 18 prospect by Baseball America and No. 25 by MLB Pipeline. He tied for the IronPigs team lead in wins a season ago with Jake Thompson with 11 wins, and Lively also notched 18 victories in all for the season - the most in the minors since 2008.

RHP Travis Banwart makes his first Triple-A start since 2014 with COL where he went 5-2, 3.12 in 16 GS. The 31-year-old signed with Cleveland as a minor league free agent on Jan. 13, 2017 after spending three seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization. In three games (two starts) with Double-A Akron, Banwart compiled a mark of 1-1, 5.73 and surrendered six runs in his debut against Bowie. In his last start with the Rubber Ducks, the Wichita, KS, native picked up the win against Altoona in a 6-1 victory as he tossed five innings allowing just one run. Banwart is making his first Triple-A start since June 29, 2014 at Toledo in a 4-0 victory as he tossed seven shutout innings and surrendered just five hits while striking out six.

A three-run Columbus sixth inning was too much to overcome as the Columbus Clippers defeated the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 3-1 Wednesday night at Huntington Park.

Four-consecutive singles led to the Clippers taking a 2-1 lead before capping off their three-run sixth with a sacrifice fly. Yandy Diaz, Tyler Naquin and Erik Gonzalez each singled to load the bases for Chris Colabello. Colabello singled to center to score Diaz and Naquin to take a 2-1 lead, and then Bradley Zimmer sent a sacrifice fly to right to score Gonzalez to give the Clippers a 3-1 edge.

The Pigs made a valiant effort at a comeback in the top of the ninth inning as they had two runners on to try to tie the game at 3. After a Jorge Alfaro ground out and a Dylan Cozens fly out, Rhys Hoskins would send a two-out single to try to kick start a late Pigs rally. Nick Williams then doubled down the left field line to put the tying run at second and advanced Hoskins to third for Cam Perkins.

Perkins then grounded out to Gonzalez to end the game and the Pigs fell 3-1.

Rhys Hoskins put the Pigs on the board in the top of the third with an emphatic solo home run to left to give the Pigs an early 1-0 lead. The home run is Hoskins team-leading fifth on the season and he has now hit safely in seven-consecutive games. The former Eastern League Rookie of the Year has also reached base safely in his last 18 games which is tied for best in the International League with Louisville's Sebastian Elizalde.

The 2017 Season is the IronPigs 10th Anniversary season at Coca-Cola Park and 10th as the top affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The IronPigs are debuting the brand-new Bacon, USA, Membership Program this season -- a year-round IronPigs experience pass featuring numerous new 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 an annual holiday party, an invitation to an exclusive player and coaches photo session and more. For more information, visit ironpigsbaseball.com or call (610) 841-PIGS (7447). Memberships and group outings are on sale now.

Check out the Lehigh Valley IronPigs Statistics

• Discuss this story on the International League message board...

International League Stories from April 27, 2017


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central