Allentown, Pennsylvania (May 23, 2026) – Despite collecting just three-hits, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (23-27) capitalized on eight free passes and their own shutdown bullpen to sneak by the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (25-23) by a final of 5-4 on Saturday night at Coca-Cola Park.
Scranton broke the ice in the third when Duke Ellis walked, stole second and third, then beat out a tag play at the plate on a grounder to score the game’s first run.
The RailRiders doubled their lead with back-to-back doubles in the fourth, the latter from Tyler Hardman driving in Seth Brown.
The only offense of the day for the ‘Pigs came across in the last of the fourth. Base hits from Liover Peguero and Carter Kieboom started the frame before Christian Cairo walked to load the bases. Two consecutive free passes to Dylan Carlson and Dylan Moore forced in a piar of runs to tie the game. A sacrifice fly from Paul McIntosh gave them the lead before Felix Reyes tacked on another with an RBI single. A two-out error allowed the ‘Pigs to plate their fifth run of the frame.
Two in the top of the fifth immediately made things interesting for the RailRiders. Yanquiel Fernandez drove home a run with a base hit before Oswaldo Cabrera drove in another with a sacrifice fly, making it a one-run game.
From there, the ‘Pigs bullpen took over and turned off the lights. Jackson Rutledge (H, 2) worked the sixth and seventh scoreless and Lou Trivino (H, 2) danced around a leadoff double to strand the tying run at third in the eighth. Nolan Hoffman (S, 1) fired a clean ninth, striking out a pair for his first save.
Chuck King (W, 2-3) got the win for the ‘Pigs, allowing four runs over five frames on four hits and three walks, striking out five.
Elmer Rodriguez (1-3) took the loss for the RailRiders, allowing five runs (four earned) in three-plus innings of work on two hits and six walks, striking out eight.
The IronPigs and RailRiders wrap up their series on Sunday, May 24th, with first pitch slated for 6:35 p.m. Levi Stoudt gets the ball for the ‘Pigs against Brendan Beck for the RailRiders.
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The IronPigs are presented by Capital Blue Cross.
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