“Got to pay your dues if you wanna sing the blues
And you know it don’t come easy”
-Richard Starkey
The IronPigs have won two in a row and the magic number is shrinking. But they’re not getting any help and we’re all stuck in traffic and let’s put THAT on a hat!
About Last Night
It took an extra inning, but this team doesn’t back down from a challenge. On defense, the ‘Pigs took the double-play in the top half of the 10th, allowing a run to score, but returned with the ghost runner in the bottom half. Rincones got a walk and Payton Henry crushed a double down the left field line to score two and walk it off. Devin Sweet with a key, clean inning, and Daniel Robert handling both the ninth and the tenth to keep things within reach. Nick Padilla with another shaky outing–there have been a couple lately and the hope is that he is fully healthy. He’s also been put into some tough spots in bullpen games and the like. Keaton Anthony and Rodolfo Castro with two-hit nights while the hero Henry had three.
The Magic Number
The “magic number” drops to five as it’s a 4.0 games lead with 8 games to play in the first half of the International League schedule. The IronPigs have two games left in this series with Worcester, as long as we can dodge the raindrops and get the games in. Then, they have Rochester coming in for six games next week. Rochester have lost 10 in a row, so of course they’ll likely choose next week to start playing better.
Jacksonville won last night in Rochester and have been the beneficiaries of the Red Wings largess this week. Nashville won in Norfolk but have not been fortunate this week with the pesky Tides, and have fallen to 5.5 games back.
With the ‘Pigs win last night as well as the Worcester loss, the Red Sox affiliate has been eliminated from first-half contention, as has Iowa. Durham, Indianapolis, and Memphis still remain mathematically alive along with Jacksonville and Nashville.
Playoff Details
[Oh, no you don’t. Folks have been asking questions and yes, I’ve looked up the information and have some articles in hopper ready to go. But I’m not going to be the one to jinx this. Nope. How did we get here? What goes in to an International League top team? What are our prospects for putting together a winning team for late in September? Can I get a discount on a dugout suite? How much does it cost to fly to Vegas? These are all things that can wait for the clincher.]
Worcester Stuff
We wrote three paragraphs scouting yesterday’s probable starter only to have Worcester switch him out with a guy who wan’t even on my list. RHP Nick Burdi appeared from Boston to put in some rehab work last night. RHP Gabriel Jackson was banished to the corner of Maine. RHP Robert Stock got DFA’d and outrighted and looks to be the starter Sunday, after getting an inning in earlier in the week. Is LHP Chris Murphy still here rehabbing? He got a couple innings in on Wednesday and hasn’t been heard from since.
All this pitching shuffling might catch up to the Red Sox affiliate at some point this weekend. But then, the IronPigs have a bullpen game of our own to deal with tonight, so we’ll see.
Game Day!
Pregame: Blues, Brews and BBQ Downtown Allentown, Hamilton from 8th to 12th, starting at noon. Free to attend. Gotta dodge the rain, unfortunately.
Pregame: Worcester batting practice, 4:15, Season Ticket Members, RSVP with your ticket rep. Subject to cancellation due to weather or whim.
First Pitch: 6:35PM
Main Gates: 5:15PM – Club Gates: 5:00PM
Promotions:
- Salute to Lehigh Valley Traffic. Sharks are just hurdles now, widely available for the jumping.
- Specialty Jerseys. Jersey Auction? Hat raffle?
- Post-game fireworks, clear the lawn and outfield concourse.
Weather: 65° with a 35% chance of rain at game time.
Pitching:
Lehigh Valley: Bullpen Game. First looking at guys who haven’t pitched since Wednesday, Zuñiga, J Walker, de Geus. Vespi and Aoyagi haven’t pitched since Tuesday. They’ve also got a couple of guys they picked up and stashed in Florida, who could suddenly make an appearance.
Worcester: RHP Tyler Uberstine (0-1, 3.43). This will be his fourth start for Worcester since coming up from Portland where he had 6 starts–in fact, he was the opening night starter IN Reading this season. (I have no recollection.) He’s a former 19th round pick by the Red Sox out of Northwestern, as a California native. Above-average fastball 92-94 T95 with arm-side run and sink. Fringe-average slurvy slider. Fringe average Change with late drop. Cutter is featured versus leftys. Sweepy Curve may be returning to his repertoire this season.
Up Next
We’re back here tomorrow for a Sunday Matinee on Father’s Day. The game is almost sold out. I think they’ll get tonight’s game in despite the weather, but if not there could be a double-dip tomorrow. There may be passing showers tomorrow but I have confidence in the game happening. It’s also Painter Day as the top prospect looks to rebound from two sub-par outings.
Monday off, then another home set with Rochester in town.
See you at the park,
@Kram207
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