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LAST TIME OUT: A second straight dormant night for the IronPigs offense led to their second straight defeat, 3-2, to Worcester on Friday night. Scott Kingery put the 'Pigs on the board first with an RBI single in the second, but Worcester scored one in the third, fifth, and seventh to pull ahead 3-1. The 'Pigs pushed one across in the ninth on a Weston Wilson RBI single, but stranded the tying and winning runs on base to end the game. In his triple-A debut, Mick Abel was dealt the loss, going 4.2 innings and allowing two runs while striking out six.
TODAY’S OPPONENT: Brendan Nail opens a bullpen game for Worcester on Saturday night. Nail will be starting his first game for Worcester this season, but he did open five games for double-A Portland. Nail pitched two-thirds of an inning on Wednesday, retiring both batters he faced. He hasn't allowed a run in his past three outings, totaling 3.2 innings without allowing a hit as well.
THE END IS HERE: With Durham's win in Gwinnett last night, the Bulls officially clinched the 2nd half IL title, eliminating the Iron- Pigs. The 'Pigs had been looking for their first postseason birth since 2018. A small consolation prize, the IronPigs have managed their first 8- win season since 2018 and have finished above .500 for back-to-back years for the first time since 2017-2018.
ORION AT WARP SPEED: Orion Kerkering made just one appearance for the IronPigs before getting promoted to the Phillies on Friday. When he debuts for the Phillies, it will be the fifth level Kerkering has thrown at this season. Baseball America named him the Phillies Minor League Player of the Year and the Phillies named Kerkering a 2023 Paul Owens Award Winner (Phillies top minor league pitcher). Kerkering, 22, is 4-1 with 14 saves, a 1.51 ERA (9 ER, 53.2 IP) and 0.89 WHIP across 49 relief appearances. When Kerkering debuts, he will be the third IronPig this season to make his MLB debut (McKinley Moore, Weston Wilson).
WALK(ER) IT LIKE I TALK IT: Jeremy Walker has been a stalwart out of the bullpen this season and is coming in hot for the stretch run. He's worked 9.2 consecutive scoreless innings over seven appearances dating back to August 29, allowing just five hits and a walk total.
THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE KODY GHOST: Kody Clemens has dialed up another hot streak, homering four times in Rochester, going 6-for-19 in the series. Stretching even further back, in his past 20 games, Clemens has posted a 1.008 OPS with eight homers and 15 of his 24 hits during that timeframe have gone for extra bases.
KROONING FOR YOU: Matt Kroon ran out a 13-game hitting streak to start his IronPigs career, seeing it conclude on Thursday night. He reached base his first 14 games for the 'Pigs as well. He has multiple hits in eight of 14 games as well. Kroon began his tenure with the 'Pigs, homering on his first swing and going 6-for-9 with a homer and three doubles before a hamstring injury side- lined him for a month. He drove in two (including the GW HR) on Tuesday and then socked a three-run triple on Wednesday.
MARCH(AN) OF THE PENGUINS: Rafael Marchan missed the first third of the season rehabbing from a broken hamate, but has made up for lost time of late. In his past 24 games, Marchan has slashed .346/.455/.556 for a 1.011 OPS with 10 doubles, two triples, a homer, and 20 RBI. 30-30 RACK: Having already put his fingerprints all over the IronPigs record book (most single-season homers and runs, first 20-20 season), Weston Wilson etched his name in there again, this time by swiping his 30th bag of the season on Sunday, giving him the first 30-30 season in IronPigs history.
GAR-SEE YA LATER: After a week-long dev list stint for the birth of his first child back in August, Aramis Garcia has returned with full on dad strength. He clubbed a two homer game on August 18, his first since June 27, 2018 when he was with double-A Richmond. In his very next start on August 20, Garcia smacked another multi-homer game. Even prior to the week off, Garcia was playing his best baseball of the season and that has continued, as in his last 30 games Garcia has smacked 11 homers and eight doubles, slashing .319/.358/.681 with 29
RBI. HALL PASS: Currently on a nine-game hitting streak, Darick Hall is vying to finish the year with an average over .300 for the first time in his career. Since August 1, Hall has hit .309 with 15 homers, driving in 39 in 44 games.
EVEN STEVENSON: Cal Stevenson has got his feet underneath him after a whirlwind of transactions earlier in the season (traded twice, DFA'd twice). Since July 22, he's hit all eight of his homers on the season and has slashed .343/.489/.616 with 25 RBI. He's punched out just 26 times while walking 30 times. Stevenson tied a franchise record by walking four times on Wednesday night.