IL1 Lehigh Valley IronPigs

Tides Take Rubber Match 7-4

Published on April 18, 2018 under International League (IL1)
Lehigh Valley IronPigs News Release


The Lehigh Valley IronPigs and Norfolk Tides wrapped up their three-game series Wednesday night at Coca-Cola Park with the visitors winning 7-4.

Yefry Ramírez (1-1) earned the victory, going 5 2/3 innings and allowing four hits and four runs while striking out seven. Jhan Mariñez came on as the Norfolk's fourth pitcher of the evening to secure the save and give the Tides back-to-back victories at Coca-Cola Park.

Tom Eshelman (1-2) took the ball for the Pigs in his third start of the season. Eshelman went 5 1/3 innings before turning the ball over to Zac Curtis. Eshelman allowed five runs (three earned) while striking out six.

Jesmuel Valentin had a big night at the plate for the Pigs. Reaching base three times, Valentin scored two runs and drove in two. Trailing 3-0, Valentin homered for the first time in 2018 sending a two-run blast into right-center field to cut the deficit to one. After working a two-out walk in the sixth, Valentin was chased home on a pinch-hit double by Collin Cowgill.

The Pigs bench came up big in the game getting a pair of pinch hit doubles off of Tides reliever Tanner Scott. Cowgill was the first Pig to face Scott, taking an 0-2 pitch deep into center field to again cut the deficit from three to one - this time at 5-4. Joey Meneses pinch-hit against Scott to open the seventh and got aboard with a double off the right field wall. He wasn't advanced farther as the next three batters were retired. Coming into the contest, the Pigs were just 1-5 as pinch hitters.

The Tides scored multiple runs in three different innings including two big insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Andrew Susac, who reached base in all five plate appearances, delivered a two-run double to center field to put the Tides up by three in the final frame. Susac went 3-for-3 with a trio of RBIs and a pair of walks.

The Pigs finish their opening homestand at 4-3 and will hit the road for six games following an off day Thursday. Lehigh Valley returns home on the April 27 to face the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The edge in this season's Iron Rail Series belongs to the RailRiders, who took two of three at PNC Field earlier this month.

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, visit ironpigsbaseball.com or call (610) 841-PIGS (7447).

The 2018 IronPigs baseball season is presented by Capital BlueCross.

Check out the Lehigh Valley IronPigs Statistics

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International League Stories from April 18, 2018


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