8/27 SWB Yankees Win In Extra Innings; Magic Number Is One
By: Colin Riccobon
Updated: August 28, 2012
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (81-57) and Lehigh Valley (73-65) had the top two records in extra inning games in the International League in 2012 with the Iron Pigs posting a 10-2 record and the Yankees a 10-4 record. The Yankees picked up the 5-4 win in 13 innings downing Lehigh Valley and reducing their "magic number" to one for clinching the IL North.
Lehigh Valley got out quickly against Yankees starter
Adam Warren picking up four runs in the first inning on five straight one out
hits. Cesar Hernandez singled, stole second and went to third on a Nate
Schierholtz single. Schierholtz moved into scoring position on a passed ball
on SWB catcher Austin Romine. Jason Pridie's single to
right scored both runners giving the Pigs a 2-0 lead. With Pridie at first base,
Pete Orr gapped a double to right center field scoring Pridie for a 3-0
lead. Cody Overbeck made it 4-0 with the fifth consecutive hit
of the inning; single scoring Orr to run the advantage to
5-0.
That would be all that Lehigh Valley would get off Warren
who settled down after the shaky first inning not allowing a run for the rest of
the night. The right hander finished with 6.2 innings pitched
allowing eight hits and one walk. Warren did not allow a runner past first base
after the four run five hit first inning.
The Yankees had plenty of earlier opportunities against
Lehigh Valley starter Tom Cochran but did not cash in until the top of the
fourth inning scoring two runs off the left hander. SWB picked up a pair of solo
homers in the inning to cut the deficit in half. Romine led off the inning
with his second of the season over the wall in right field to make it
4-1. One batter later, Melky Mesa took Cochran over the wall
in left center for his seventh of the season to give SWB their second run of the
night.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre would get one more run off the left
hander before he departed after the fifth inning. A leadoff walk to Kevin Russo
and an error by third baseman Pete Orr allowed Eduardo Nunez to reach and Russo
to take third as Orr deflected the ball into shallow left. Ronnier Mustelier's
base hit to left scored Russo to get the Yankees to within one run at
4-3.
Cole Garner's infield single tied the game at 4-4 in the
top of the seventh inning off reliever Michael Cisco. With two out and runners on
the corners, Garner hit a swinging bunt up the line at third base that Orr could
do nothing with and scored Mustelier with the tying run from
third.
The teams played scoreless until the top of the
13th when the Yankees
pushed across a run to Darnell McDonald led the inning off Pigs right hander
Tyson Brummett (LP, 4-5) with a single to right and moved to second on Ramiro
Pena's sacrifice bunt. Russo got the go ahead run home from second base with a
gap double to right center scoring McDonald and giving the Yankees a 5-4
lead.
Preston Claiborne (WP, 4-0) pitched 2.0 scoreless to pick
up the win with Chase Whitley (SV, 1) setting down the Iron Pigs 1-2-3 in the
bottom of the 13th for his first save of the
season.
Pawtucket defeated Gwinnett on Monday night 3-1 to stave
off elimination. The Paw Sox and Gwinnett will play Tuesday afternoon at
2:05 PM in Lawrenceville, Georgia and with a Braves win over Pawtucket can
clinch the IL North on Tuesday without playing a game.
The Yankees and Iron Pigs have a day off on Tuesday
before Scranton/Wilkes-Barre becomes the home team in a two game series at
Coca-Cola Park beginning Wednesday night at 7:05 PM. Left hander Mike O'Connor
(3-6, 3.78 ERA) gets the start for SWB while Lehigh Valley starts right hander
Tyler Cloyd (12-1, 2.27 ERA).
