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No Offense: IronPigs Lose Seventh Straight
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Early Missed Opportunities Cost Winless Lehigh Valley
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| The Lehigh Valley IronPigs early season misfortunes carried on Wednesday night after a 2-0 loss to the Pawtucket Red Sox from McCoy Stadium. The IronPigs managed just four hits – all singles and none after the fifth inning – to fall to an IL worst 0-7 in the first week of their inaugural season. Pawtucket second baseman Keith Ginter’s eighth inning, two-run single proved to be the difference maker in the latest setback for manager Dave Huppert’s ballclub. |
| Like most of their previous six defeats, the IronPigs certainly had chances to break into the win column in this contest. In the top of the third, Mike Cervenak led off with a single and moved on to second on a passed ball by Pawtucket catcher George Kottaras. Lehigh Valley second baseman Casey Smith drew a walk against struggling PawSox knuckleballer Charlie Zink to put two men aboard with only one out. Centerfielder Brandon Watson then lined a bullet through the infield only to see it caught by the Red Sox shortstop Jed Lowrie who doubled up Cervenak off of second base to end the rally. |
| In the fourth, the IronPigs loaded the bases on singles by Chris Snelling and Andy Tracy and a walk to Valentino Pascucci. Zink again worked out of the jam by striking out Jason Jaramillo and issuing a ground out to Cervenak to keep Lehigh Valley off the scoreboard. |
| Pawtucket received terrific pitching from their bullpen, who no-hit the IronPigs through the game’s final four and two-thirds innings. Thirteen IronPigs were retired in a row at one point until Tracy drew a walk against PawSox closer Lee Gronkiewicz with one out in the ninth inning. Former Boston first round pick Craig Hansen (1-0) struck out two in two innings to earn his first win of the season. |
| Veteran lefty Vic Darensbourg (0-2) suffered his second loss of the road trip after allowing Pawtucket’s only two runs on three hits in one plus innings of work. |
| Ron Chiavacci started for the IronPigs and pitched five and a third scoreless innings allowing four hits, walking two and striking out three. The Scranton native posted his second straight no-decision and lowered his ERA from 1.50 to 0.79 after two starts. |
| The finale between these two clubs will be another day game with a special 12:05 p.m. getaway day start time from McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, RI. Lefthander Brian Mazone (0-1, 6.43) will be opposed by Pawtucket right-hander David Pauley (1-0, 0.00). Matt Provence will have all the action beginning with the AT&T pre-game show at 11:35 a.m. on flagship station 90.3 FM WXLV and 95.1 HD-2 WZZO, “The Digital Home of the IronPigs.” |
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