Half of Team to Beat made a trip to Allentown to catch some AAA action on May 16. The Lehigh Valley IronPigs took on the Norfolk Tide of the Orioles system at Coca Cola Park.
To the disappointment of us, Domonic Brown was not playing as he’s still nursing an injured thumb and recently demoted Vance Worley will start tomorrow for the Pigs.
But a few former Phillies, prospects and career journey-men were in tonight’s action and I’ll talk a little about them.
The Pigs took advantage of some errors and got a good effort from their pitching as they held off the Tide, 4-3, to improve their record to 22-16 which is 2nd in the International League’s North Division.Second baseman Josh Barfield had himself a great game for the Pigs, going 3-for-4 with a homer and RBI. His solo jack in the 2nd tied the game up at one for the Pigs, who scored a pair in the 2nd and 3rd.
Designated hitter Brandon Moss drove in the other run when he singled in the 3rd. He had a two-hit game with a double. Ronnie Belliard had the other extra-base hit, a double in the 3rd.
Brian Bocock and Delwyn Young went hitless.
Ryan Feierabend got the start for the Pigs, going five innings while allowing two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out one.
Ex-Phillies Mike Zagurski and David Herndon pitched the 8th and 9th innings. Zagurski gave up a run in the 8th while striking out two and Herndon notched his first AAA save of the season with a 1-2-3 inning that included a pair of punch outs.
Other highlights
-It was Harry Kalas night at Coca Cola Park. The festivities included a free HK bobble head that talks to the first 3,000 fans, a video replay of his Hall of Fame speech from 2002, a video montage before the game and the playing of HK’s famous “High Hopes” during the 7th inning stretch.
The IronPigs were also in possession of Kalas’ powder blue sports coat and white shoes, storing them in the dugout. Later on in the game, the articles of clothing were moved to the main concourse behind home plate for fans to have their picture taken with them.
-An obnoxious fan threw a tennis ball on the field in the middle of play during the late innings. Center fielder Rich Thompson picked up the tennis ball and chucked it towards the first base stands, striking an older lady in the head and bouncing back onto the field.
-Two of the runs scored by LHV came when a batter struck out and the ball got away from catcher John Hester with a man on third. Both times Hester couldn’t connect with first baseman Brian Snyder and both times the runners on third scored.
-Pigs manager Ryne Sandberg and Dom Brown were among the handful of IronPigs signing autographs prior to the game.
-Brown coached first base for the 1st inning.
TTB 