Friday March 29th, 2024 1:23AM

Stripers’ rally falls short in loss to Lehigh Valley

By AccessWDUN

LAWRENCEVILLE — Rob Brantly delivered a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning against Lehigh Valley’s Pedro Beato, but the IronPigs’ closer got Chris Stewart to pop out and end the Gwinnett Stripers’ hopes for a comeback in a 4-3 loss Tuesday night at Coolray Field.

The Stripers (24-31) were plagued by walks all night, beginning with starter Lucas Sims, and later relievers Jason Hursh and Rex Brothers, who combined to allow 10 free passes.

Sims, making his first start since May 16, tied a career high with six walks over 5.0 innings. But the right-hander wiggled out of jams in the second, fourth and fifth innings to keep Gwinnett in it.

In the second, Sims walked Trevor Plouffe and Adron Chambers to lead off the inning. He then induced a ground ball from Damek Tomscha resulting in a double play. The inning ended on a Logan Moore groundout.

Sims would load the bases in the fourth with a two-out Chambers double and back-to-back walks to Tomscha and Moore, but opposing pitcher Cole Irvin grounded out to end the threat.

The IronPigs got their first run in the fifth as JP Crawford led off with a double and moved to third on a Collin Cowgill single. Danny Ortiz sent Crawford home on a sacrifice fly to center. Sims’ night ended after 5.0 innings with three hits, six walks and one earned run allowed with three strikeouts.

Gwinnett had a baserunner reach in each of the first four innings, but Irvin kept the Stripers in check over those frames.

The Stripers finally got to Irvin in the sixth after Dustin Peterson reached on a one-out double. Michael Reed sent him home on a soft single to right field, tying the game at 1-1.

But Lehigh Valley took the lead right back in the seventh against Hursh (L, 1-4). After Moore led off with a single, Dean Anna sacrificed him to second. Crawford flew to center for the second out, but Hursh walked Cowgill and Ortiz to load the bases. Joey Meneses then delivered the crushing blow – a bloop single over first to make it 3-1.

The IronPigs would get the decisive run in the eighth off Brothers after he, too, loaded the bases with two walks and a single. Crawford brought in the run with a fielder’s choice for a 4-1 lead. Evan Phillips threw a clean top of the ninth with two strikeouts to keep it a three-run game.

Carlos Franco led off the bottom of the ninth with a double off Beato (S, 16). After two outs, Sean Kazmar Jr. singled and moved to second on defensive indifference. On the eighth pitch of his at-bat, Brantly singled to score both runners and make it a 4-3 game, but the pinch-hitter Stewart popped to first to end it.

Reed led the Stripers with a 3-for-4 night with an RBI, extending his on-base streak to seven games since his promotion from Double-A Mississippi.

Chambers and Moore were each 2-for-3 with a walk for Lehigh Valley. Meneses went 1-for-5 with two RBIs.

The Stripers and IronPigs continue the series with game two on Wednesday night at Coolray Field. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. Atlanta Braves’ right-hander Mike Soroka (2-0, 1.99 ERA) is scheduled to make his second rehab start and his first start with Gwinnett since April 23. Righty Drew Anderson (1-1, 4.26 ERA) will go for the IronPigs. Tony Schiavone will have the play-by-play call on 97.7 and 93.5 FM The Other Side of the River beginning at 6:35 p.m. 

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