IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

Lehigh Valley Rallies in Eighth to Beat Stripers, 6-5

Published on July 25, 2018 under International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The Lehigh Valley IronPigs scored three runs in the bottom of the 8th inning for a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the Gwinnett Stripers Tuesday night in game one of a three-game series at a soggy Coca-Cola Park.

After a one-hour, 55-minute rain delay to start the game, the Stripers twice lost the lead in the game and ended up losing to the IronPigs for the fourth time in as many meetings this season.

In the bottom of the 8th, trying to protect a 5-3 lead, Chad Bell gave up a leadoff solo homer to Danny Espinosa which trimmed the lead to 5-4. Bell then walked pinch hitter Collin Cowgill and, after recording the first out of the inning, gave up a single to center to Dean Anna. Chad Sobotka entered from the bullpen for his first career Triple-A appearance. He surrendered a double to right-center off the bat of Aaron Altherr, scoring Cowgill from second with the tying run. After Sobotka recorded the second out, the Stripers elected to walk Dylan Cozens to load the bases. However, Sobotka then walked Zach Green pushing across Anna with the go-ahead run.

Gwinnett's first lead came in the top of the third. After Jonathan Morales drew a leadoff walk from Lehigh Valley starting pitcher Enyel De Los Santos, Luis Marte cracked a one-out two run homer to left for a 2-0 lead. The long ball, his first with Gwinnett, extended his hitting streak to nine games.

In the top of the fourth, the Stripers loaded the bases with no outs, but were only able to score once. A sacrifice fly to left by pitcher Luiz Gohara pushed across Dustin Peterson from third to up the lead to 3-0.

However, Lehigh Valley tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth as Cozens pounded a three-run homer (15) to left off Gohara.

In the top of the seventh, Carlos Franco delivered a two-out, two-run double to center off reliever Zac Curtis to put the Stripers back on top 5-3.

However, after pitching a solid bottom of the seventh in relief of Gohara, Bell could not hang on in the bottom of the eight and was tagged with the loss.

Gohara worked a quality start of 6.0 innings with three hits, three earned runs, one walk and six strikeouts. Bell (L, 2-2) went 1.1 innings with two hits, three earned runs, one walk and one strikeout. Sobotka (BS, 1) pitched 0.2 of an inning with one hit, two walks and two strikeouts.

For the IronPigs, De Los Santos tossed 4.0 innings with four hits, three runs (two earned), two walks and four strikeouts. Tyler Gilbert worked 2.0 innings with two strikeouts. Curtis went 1.0 inning with one hit, two unearned runs, one walk and one strikeout. Hector Neris (W, 1-0) pitched 1.0 inning with one strikeout. Pedro Beato (S, 26) tossed a three up, three down top of the ninth with one strikeout.

Franco was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs to give him 60 on the season. Peterson was 1-for-4 with a run and now is now up to an 11-game hitting streak.

Lehigh Valley was paced by Cozens who was 1-for-3 with a three-run homer and Espinosa who was 1-for-3 with a solo homer.

The Stripers (47-54) and IronPigs (61-39) meet in game two of the three game series Wednesday at 11:35 a.m. The Stripers will start right-hander Touki Toussaint (1-0, 2.92). Lehigh Valley has righty Tom Eshelman (1-8, 6.16) scheduled. Tony Schiavone has the play-by-play call on 97.7 and 93.5 FM "The Other Side of the River" beginning at 11:05 a.m.

Check out the Gwinnett Stripers Statistics

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International League Stories from July 25, 2018


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