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LAST TIME OUT: A day after getting shellacked 12-2, the IronPigs rebounded with a solid 7-3 win over Buffalo on Friday night. After falling behind 2-0 (and seeing their first eight hitters retired), Aramis Garcia blasted a solo homer in the third and was followed by a Drew Ellis two-run shot to put the 'Pigs ahead. RBI double from Esteban Quiroz and Jim Haley extended the lead before back-to-back walks to kick off the fifth turned into two more runs. Bailey Falter limited the Bisons to two runs over six innings on two hits while Jakob Hernandez and Ben Bowden held down the fort the rest of the way for the 7-3 victory.
TODAY’S OPPONENT: Mitch White makes a ML rehab start for the Bisons on Saturday. White has thrown for the Bisons four times already this season, allowing 13 runs in 13.2 innings. He most recently pitched on May 17 against Rochester, allowing five runs in four innings on four hits and four walks, striking out three. White was pulled off his prior rehab assignment due to shoulder fatigue but was originally rehabbing right elbow inflammation.
EVEN STEVENS: The Phillies claimed OF Cal Stevenson off waivers from the Giants on Friday and optioned him to Lehigh Valley. Stevenson is the fourth player in the past nine months to join the Phillies from the Giants (Marte, L. Ortiz, A. Vasquez). Stevenson was 0-for-12 in 6 games for the Giants this season. He made his Major League debut with Oakland last year and now joins his third organization of 2023.
THE COMEBACK PIGS: The IronPigs tied their largest comeback of the season, rallying from four runs down to win on a Weston Wilson walk-off homer on May 24. It was the IronPigs second walk-off win in three home games. The walk-off dinger was the first since July 4, 2019 when Jan Hernandez ripped a two-run homer to cap off a six-run ninth inning in a 12-10 win over Pawtucket (this note courtesy of Pat McCarthy).
DINGER DUDES: The IronPigs have become the bash bros in May, homering three times in one game on five different occasions while also adding in eight games of two homers as well, making it 13 of 22 games in May with multiple homers. In March and April the IronPigs had just seven games of multiple homers.
DREW WHO?: Get to know the name, as newest 'Pig Drew Ellis announced his prescence with authority this past week against the WooSox. Ellis was named International League Player of the Week as he went 7-for-16 (.438) with four homers, 13 RBI, 5 runs scored, and two walks. Ellis hit three, three-run homers and three of his four longballs gave the IronPigs the lead. Ellis was signed by the Phillies as a MiLB free agent on April 16. He began his season with Double-A Reading before being promoted to Lehigh Valley on May 17. Ellis was originally drafted the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2nd round of the 2017 MLB draft out of Louisville. Ellis made his Major League debut with the Diamondbacks in 2021.
LET'S GO SPELUNKING: Jake Cave has been tearing the cover off the ball since being optioned to Lehigh Valley. Cave has a hit in every game he's played with the IronPigs (19), going 36-for-81 with a team leading 15 doubles plus six homers and 18 RBI. Since May 4 (his first game with LHV), Cave leads the IL in batting average (.444), slugging (.852), OPS (1.368), and 2B (15).
WESTWARD BOUND: Possibly the 'Pigs most impactful player in May, Wilson is 10th in the IL this month in OPS (1.125) with eight homers (tied-2nd) and 25 driven in (2nd). He's walked 19 times in the month while striking out just 25 times and has also added five doubles and a walk-off homer on May 24 while riding a nine game hitting streak.
CORN ON THE COBB: Trey Cobb has strung together four straight scoreless outings, totaling 4.1 innings where he's struck out four and walked just one without allowing a hit. This comes after a strech where he allowed eight runs in just three innings, walking five. APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY DINGERS: After struggling offensively in April, the IronPigs bats have sprung to life in May. They are fourth in the IL in OPS (.872) during the month and are tied 2nd in runs the month (150) while swatting the fourth most homers (37).
SAVE ME, PLEASE: The IronPigs ended up outscoring the WooSox last week on the whole, but lost three one-run games, including two walk-offs leading to a series loss (4-2 WooSox). Those three losses featured a combined five blown saves as the IronPigs now lead the league with 16 blown saves on the season. Luis Ortiz converted the IronPigs first save since May 4 (Erich Uelmen) when he fired a scoreless ninth on Tuesday. The IronPigs are 9-for-27 in saves this season