| CARRASCO SOLID, 'PIGS TAKE OPENER 5-1 |
| Cairo And Marson Combine For Four RBI |
| BOX SCORE |
| Carlos Carrasco took the hill for the IronPigs on Thursday evening and everything else fell into place. |
| Carrasco (5-7, 4.70) tossed six solid innings and the Lehigh Valley offense belted out five runs on nine hits en route to a 5-1 victory over the red-hot Syracuse Chiefs in game one of their two-day, three-game series at Coca-Cola Park. |
| Carrasco, who had recently been mentioned as a possible call-up by the Phillies to replace injured starter Antonio Bastardo, allowed just one run on six hits, and was well on his way to his fourth-straight victory. Carrasco, a native of Venezuela, has now gone 4-0 with a 2.46 ERA in his last four outings (25 2/3 IP, 7 ER, 21 K) |
| Carrasco was helped-out by his offense, which enjoyed a five-run outburst in the fourth inning against Syracuse starter Collin Balester (6-7, 4.11). With both teams scoreless through the first three and a half innings, the IronPigs broke-open the game with a solid showing in the fourth. |
| 'Pigs' center fielder Jason Ellison started things off by drawing a leadoff walk, and the hit parade followed. Next batter Mike Cervenak singled, and a throwing error by Syracuse SS Pete Orr, gave Lehigh Valley runners on the corners with nobody out, which set things up for Mr. June, Andy Tracy. Name an I.L. All-Star earlier in the day, Tracy came through with the team's first run of the evening on an RBI single to right field. |
| Now, with the IronPigs leading the Chiefs 1-0 and still threatening, Balester walked Terry Tiffee to load the bases. With a chance to bust-open the game, Miguel Cairo stood in, and roped a two-run double to center field to give the 'Pigs a 3-0 lead. And, just one batter later, catcher Lou Marson cleared the bases with a two-run single, and the 'Pigs were now out in front by a score of 5-0. |
| Two innings later, in the top of the sixth inning, Carrasco made his one and only mistake of the evening, and he did so against one of the most feared hitters in the entire International League. |
| With one out in the sixth, Carrasco allowed a solo home run to Eldred, which put the Chiefs on the scoreboard for the first time, but it was Lehigh Valley who had the 5-1 advantage. Eldred, who led the I.L. with thirty-five home runs, finished the evening 2-4 with that home run (13) and one RBI (42). |
| The IronPigs' handed the ball to reliever Gary Majewski for the seventh and eighth, and the veteran impressed. Majewski tossed two scoreless frames, and allowed just one hit, while fanning four. Steven Register chipped in with a scoreless ninth inning, and has now been unscored upon in eight of his last nine games (10.2 IP, 2 ER, 2 SV). |
| With the victory, the IronPigs (39-40) have moved to within one game of the .500 mark on the season, and will look to LHP Brian Mazone (NR) to take the hill in the first game of their Day-Night doubleheader on Friday. Mazone, who was recently acquired in a trade with the LA Dodgers, will make his season debut for the IronPigs after leading the team in victories just one season ago (9). Mazone will be opposed by RHP Garrett Mock (3-1, 3.65). |
| In the nightcap, which is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., Lehigh Valley will send RHP Drew Carpenter (7-1, 2.75) to the hill. Carpenter and the 'Pigs will be opposed by Syracuse LHP Horacio Ramirez (0-0, 2.45). |
| Matt Provence and Jon Schaeffer will have the call beginning at 12:05 p.m. with game one of the Day-Night doubleheader for the AT&T pre-game show on the IronPigs Radio Network, ESPN Radio 1230-1320 AM. The game will also be televised along the IronPig Television Network powered by Service Electric Cable TV & Communications. |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
