It’s a soggy Father’s Day. But it’s a great day to win a baseball game!
The IronPigs battled back last night, but lost in extras. Rochester continues to roll over for Jacksonville. Nashville is trying to make a run at it by not playing games. Everything stays the same. If Andrew Painter wants to build a reputation, this might be a great place to start with that.
About Last Night
Bullpen games are tough. Sometimes it all works out as the opposing team never gets to see the same pitcher more than once. Sometimes all it takes is one guy to not have it that day and the whole game crumbles. Let’s review yesterday’s crew:
RHP Koyo Aoyagi: He has to work in front. When he gets behind batters he has to show them too many pitches and eventually come over the plate. When that happens he’s going to get hit. It’s no coincidence that he was removed from the game the minute he was to face the same batter a second time. 15 strikes out of 38 pitches is no way to go through life, son.
RHP Brett de Geus: He came in and cleaned up Aoyagi’s mess in the second, then pitched a clean inning in the third. They sent him back out for the fourth–which, in a bullpen game you’re going to have to get some length somewhere–and I thought his body language looked horrible. A leadoff single ends up on third after a stolen base and a throwing error. A walk. Then a double and we’re down 3-0. He does get out of it, though. I had to wonder if the pre-game plan was for him to pitch two innings meaning only one up-and-down, and that turned into three when Koyo couldn’t navigate the second. Maybe. But it’s gonna get weird in a bullpen game.
RHP Guillo Zuñiga: I have to admit, Zuni has been kind of shaky lately, after starting the season on fire. He got back to that old magic again and went three scoreless with no walks and no hits. He just mowed through the middle innings and gave the ‘Pigs the chance to come back, which they did in the bottom of the Eighth. 26 pitches and 20 strikes. That is the way.
LHP Nick Vespi: Worked around a walk to pitch a scoreless eighth.
RHP Seth Johnson: Basically strikes out the side in the top of the ninth, but when the ‘Pigs couldn’t walk it off in the bottom of the final frame, extras were needed. He’s back out for the 10th, which in this case should have been expected. But a walk and a double creates a ton of damage with the ghost runner in place. Two run Worcester advantage.
The IronPigs couldn’t answer in the bottom of the frame, despite a strong effort. If Crawford’s line-out double play gets by the first baseman and into the corner it could be a triple, which would have tied the game with one out and Crawford on third. That’s a recipe for another walk off, my friends. Alas, it goes in the loss column.
“Let’s Look At The Numbers”
With a four game lead and eight games left, the magic number had been five. With a loss and a Jacksonville win, it’s a three-game lead with seven games left. Jacksonville can get from 42 wins to 49 wins if they win out. The ‘Pigs still need 5 games to get from 45 to 50 and salt this thing away.
Nashville had their game cancelled. Officially they are 5.0 games back, but now the winning percent becomes more important. If they win out, they can get to 46-27, or .630. If the ‘Pigs get to 50-25 it’s .667 and still a winner, so no change in the magic number. In fact, sitting at .591 it would be very difficult for Nashville to get to the top without playing games and winning them. So, no more of this “cancel your way to glory” nonsense.
Jacksonville plays in Syracuse next week. Of course, the Smets are on a seven-game losing streak and 2-8 in their last 10. I know, I know, we get the Red Wings at home, but we have to take care of our business and not count on any help from around the league. Oh, who is the team that is beating up on Syracuse this week?
Scranton. It always comes back to Scranton.
Roster Outlook
No IronPigs roster moves to speak of, but a couple moves in the system that we should keep our eyes on. Yesterday, the Phillies sent cash to the Mariners for Triple-A third baseman Nick Dunn. The diminutive left-handed bat from Sunbury, PA by way of the University of Maryland hit .316/.374/.467 last season tor Triple-A Memphis. This season at Triple-A Tacoma has been dreadful to the tune of .184/.250/.255. He’s been a doubles machine in his career, yet has only two this season. One would assume he’s healthy if he’s eligible to be cut/traded. Dunn will head to Double-A Reading to try to get his mojo back. Interestingly, R-Phils also have third baseman Alex Binelas, who also plays first base. Alex was with these very Worcester Red Sox to start the season, and the story goes, when he found out he was getting released from the Red Sox organization, his agent called him before he could leave the locker room in Worcester to tell him the Phillies were interested. 13 games with Worcester: .257/.366/.457 12 games with Reading: .270/.378/.486 with way fewer ground balls. Small samples of course. But you have to figure one or both of these guys are going to be with the IronPigs at some point.
The Phillies claimed RHP Ryan Cusick off waivers from the White Sox. But let’s take a closer look at his transactions:
11/19/24: Added to 40-man by Oakland
3/10/25: Optioned to AAA-Las Vegas
[Pitches in 13 games for Vegas, all in relief. 6.75 ERA]
5/27/25: DFA by Oakland, claimed by Detroit
5/31/25: Optioned to AAA-Toledo
[Pitches in 1 game for Toledo, 0.00 ERA]
6/3/25: DFA by Detroit, claimed by White Sox
6/4/25: Optioned to AAA-Charlotte, never gets there
6/5/25: DFA by White Sox
6/8/25: Claimed by Philadelphia, sent to Clearwater where he can actually pitch. Assigned to FCL Phillies.
He’s never been to the Majors and does not have gaudy numbers, but the Phillies see something there. I’d expect him to pop up at Double-A or Triple-A shortly, if things go right.
Game Day!
First Pitch: 1:35PM
Main Gates: 12:15PM
Club Gates: 12:00PM
Promotions:
- Tumbler Giveaway (Men)
- Post-game kids run the bases
- Post-game play catch on the field with Dad
Weather: 60° with 16% chance of rain at game time.
Tickets: This is going to be a sell-out. I noticed a fair few new openings on the team site, scattered about. But, not many. The secondary market is also slim pickings. Grab your tickets before paying for parking, that’s for sure!
Pitching:
IronPigs: RHP Andrew Painter (2-2, 5.19) Andy looks to get back to his dominant ways following two straight sub-par outings. That would keep the “Painter Truther” article in the can.
Worcester: RHP Cooper Criswell (2-1, 1.52). Go back and look at Friday when we opened the book on him. Tall righty with a side-arm delivery. They can get to him.
Up Next
Take tomorrow off, then right back here on Tuesday for Rochester. Look for Alan Rangel to get the ball. Don’t rule out RHP Wil Crowe to come up from Reading on Friday.
See you at the park,
@Kram207
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