LAST TIME OUT: The 'Pigs opened their series against the Bisons with a 7-5 loss. Buffalo bashed three homers in the first two innings to race out to a 7-0 lead after 2.5 frames. The 'Pigs methodically mounted a rally, scoring twice in the third, once in the fourth, and twice in the fifth to pull within two. Despite multiple chances in the final half of the game, the 'Pigs couldn't push the tying run across, ultimately leaving 11 runners on and going 1-for-9 with RISP. Weston Wilson had two hits and his team leading 18th homers, Buddy Kennedy extended his on-base streak to 23 games with two hits and Cal Stevenson was on base four times with two hits and two walks. The 'Pigs bullpen spun 6.2 scoreless innings (Dipoto 2.2IP, Ramos 1.0, Lehman 1.0, Bellatti 1.0, Gilbert 1.0).
TODAY’S OPPONENT: Buffalo has not yet announced a starter for Wednesday but a bullpen game is anticipated.
AMONG HALLOWED HALLS: Darick Hall, currently sitting at 69 career homers with Lehigh Valley, needs just one more homer to break Andy Tracy's mark of 69 for the most homers in franchise history. Hall tied the record with a solo shot this past Saturday against SWB. Hall also has 243 career RBI with the 'Pigs, needing just 18 RBI to tie Tracy (261) for the RBI mark.
A SOLO FOR THE AGES: The 'Pigs popped five solo homers on Saturday for the win against SWB. The five homers ties for the most they've hit in the game this season and featured some unique feats: Cal Stevenson hit the 7th leadoff homer of the season for the 'Pigs, Darick Hall tied Andy Tracy for the franchise career mark for homers, Jim Haley had the 11th multi-homer game of the season for the 'Pigs (his first multi-HR game since 5/11/22), and Haley + Scott Kingery went back-to-back, the fourth time the 'Pigs have done that this season. Plus, all five homers were solo shots.
RUNNING WILD: Cal Stevenson set a new franchise mark as he stole five bases on July 2, the most by an IronPig in a single game since Cesar Hernandez stole three bags on July 1, 2013.. With Stevenson's five stolen bases and one from Jim Haley, the 'Pigs also set the franchise mark for most stolen bases as a team with six, besting the mark of five which had been last done on April 30, 2022 against SWB.
EVEN STEVENSON: Although his 11-game hitting streak is done, Cal Stevenson has been fantastic going on nearly a month. Since June 9, he's slashed .358/.426/.531 with eight doubles and two homers, driving in 13, scoring 16 times, and swiping eight bases. Stevenson smoked his first leadoff homer of the season last Saturday against SWB.
WESTWARD BOUND: Weston Wilson earned the first weekly MiLB award for a 'Pig this season, capturing International League POTW for the week of June 24-30. Wilson played in all six games during the series, going 10-for-24, slashing .417/.500/.917 for a 1.417 OPS. He hit four homers and drove in six runs, scoring 10 times, walking four times and stealing three bases. Wilson homered in back-to-back games, June 27 & 28, before belting two homers in the series finale on June 30. It was his second multi-homer game of the season and second in two weeks as well. Among International League leaders for the week, Wilson was first in runs scored (10), tied-fourth in hits (10), first in total bases (22), tied-first in homers (4), tied-fourth in stolen bases (3), tied-eighth in OBP (.500), third in slugging percentage (.917), and fourth in OPS (.1.417). Wilson has hit 16 homers in his past 29 games with the IronPigs.
WEEKLY WINNING WAYS: The 'Pigs took another series win, grabbing four of six from SWB last week. It was the third straight series (full week) win for the 'Pigs and they've now won five of their past six series as well.
SWIPER NO SWIPING: The 'Pigs have been the best in the IL in throwing out base stealers. The 'Pigs have caught 41 runners, which is 9 more than anyone else in the league. They've only allowed 77 stolen bases total as well, which is tied for fifth fewest in the league. Aramis Garcia has the most CS in the IL with 25. It's not just the catchers too, as 'Pigs outfielders have racked up 25 outfield assists.
BUDDY, BUDDY: Buddy Kennedy saw his 14-game hitting streak to open his 'Pigs career come to a close on June 28. He still man- aged to reach base as he's been aboard for all 23 games he's played as a 'Pig. He added a marquee moment with a walk-off two-run homer in game one on July 3. Since joining the 'Pigs, Kennedy ranks 3rd in the league in OBP (.472), 9th in SLG (.624), 6th in OPS (1.096), t-3rd 2B (9), t-7th H (29), t-3rd BB (20), t-3rd XBH (14), t-3rd TB (53) and t-6th R (20). Kennedy was originally drafted by Arizona out of Millville Senior HS, in Millville, NJ the same High School that Mike Trout attended.
GRILLED RUBEN REVENGE: Against the team that traded him, Ruben Cardenas served his revenge hot going 9-for-27 with two homers, three doubles, and 10 RBI to help take four of six from Durham. Cardenas smacked two homers and drove in six runs in his 'Pigs debut and has been off and running ever since. He homered three times in his first three games with LHV, and picked up a hit in each of the first five games he played as an IronPig as well. Cardenas was dealt to the Phillies from Tampa Bay in exchange for cash on June 6. Since he got traded, Cardenas is fourth in the league in homers (9), t-4th XBH (15), 8th in TB (61) and 1st in RBI (28).
LAZAR BEAM: Max Lazar has been nails at the back end of the bullpen for Lehigh Valley. After allowing two runs (one earned) in his first Triple-A outing, Lazar rattled off 19.1 straight innings (17 appearances), without allowing an earned run, finally allowing three earned runs on July 3. Lazar was named Phillies MiLB Pitcher of the Month for June. He went 2-1 with a 0.00 ERA (12.1 IP), 14 strikeouts, two walks, six saves, a .098 opponent’s batting average (4-41) and a 0.49 WHIP. For the month, among all relievers in the Interna- tional League to throw at least 10.0 innings, he ranked first in WHIP, tied for first in ERA and saves and fourth in opponent’s batting average. Lazar became the first 'Pig with 10 saves since Pedro Beato had 25 in 2018.
PRESIDENT BUCHANAN: David Buchanan has returned to the IronPigs after an eight-year absence and has already made waves in the record book. With his victory on April 10, Buchanan secured his 25th win as an IronPig, giving him the most in franchise history. He's in sight of the strikeout record as well, currently 63 punchouts away from breaking Drew Carpenter's mark of 306