Allentown, PA - March 31, 2024: The Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, opened the 2024 season at Coca Cola Park on March 29 against the Worcester Red Sox, the Boston Red Sox Triple-A affiliate. The Iron Pigs and Red Sox, both in the International League East, played a three game series with games on Friday, Saturday, and Easter Sunday. The Iron Pigs won the opener on Friday in a dramatic come from behind victory. The Red Sox scored once in the 5th and then on home runs in the 7th and 9th. But, in the 9th inning, down 4-0, the Iron Pigs rallied for the victory. The Iron Pigs had four hits and two walks, tying the game up 4-4, before Rodolfo Castro hit a walk-off three-run home run. Even though the bases were loaded when Castro hit the home run, he wasn’t credited with a grand slam because during the celebration, and while circling the bases, Castro was called out for passing a fellow player in front of him. Castro was 1 for 4 on the night with two strike outs before hitting the home run. Weston Wilson went 2 for 5 for the Iron Pigs. Andrew Bellatti got the win for the Iron Pigs in relief. In game two Saturday afternoon, the Red Sox scored early, 2-0 in the first inning on a home run, a single, a double, and a sac fly. It then seemed like the Iron Pigs would make the comeback once again late as two runs were scored in the 8th inning on a double by Jordan Luplow, game tied 2-2. But, the Red Sox would score three runs in the top of the 9th, one on a wild pitch and two on a base hit with a throwing error, while holding the Iron Pigs scoreless in the bottom of the 9th inning, making the final 5-2 Red Sox. Austin Brice suffered the loss for the Iron Pigs in relief on Saturday. Sunday’s grudge match saw the Red Sox win 6-2. The Iron Pigs managed to score two runs in the 3rd inning on a Kody Clemens two-run home run. The Red Sox had eight hits while the Iron Pigs had four hits and one error. David Buchanan started the game for the Iron Pigs and recorded the loss. He went four innings, giving up five earned runs. The below photo shows Kody Clemens’ (2) follow-thru on his home run to right-center.
