LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (46-46) scored eight runs in the eighth inning to erase a 6-3 deficit and defeated the Gwinnett Stripers (54-40) 12-6 on Monday night at Coolray Field. Alex Jackson went 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs in the loss.
Scoring Recap: The Stripers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI ground out by Adam Duvall and Jackson’s 402-foot three-run homer (19) to left-center off Jose Taveras. Lehigh Valley cut the lead to 4-2 in the third on a two-run double by Austin Listi. An RBI single by Andrew Romine got the IronPigs to within a run at 4-3 in the fifth, but Travis Demeritte’s pinch-hit RBI double in the sixth put the Stripers back up by two at 5-3. In the seventh, Jackson hit his second homer of the game, a 418-foot solo shot to left-center (20) off Kyle Dohy to make it 6-3 Gwinnett. The IronPigs scored eight runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by a go-ahead two-run single by Ali Castillo and a two-run double by Romine to go up 11-6. Lehigh Valley added another run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Phil Gosselin to make it 12-6.
Stripers Stats: Starter Kolby Allard pitched 4.1 innings and yielded three runs on six hits in a no-decision. Thomas Burrows (L, 1-1) worked 1.1 innings and gave up five runs (four earned) on two hits. Rafael De Paula tossed 1.0 inning and surrendered four runs on five hits. Jackson had the only multi-hit effort for Gwinnett.
IronPigs Stats: Dohy (W, 5-4) worked 1.1 innings and gave up one run while striking out two. Romine went 3-for-6 with a double and three RBIs. Gosselin, Listi, and Castillo each had two hits and two RBIs.
Postgame Notes: Jackson has homered eight times in his last 12 games since June 27, raising his season total to a career-high 20. The two-homer night was his fourth multi-homer effort of the year. The eight runs in the eighth were the most allowed by the Stripers in one inning this season.
Next Game (Tuesday, July 16): Gwinnett vs. Lehigh Valley, 7:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. TBD for the Stripers vs. RHP Enyel De Los Santos (3-4, 4.06 ERA) for the IronPigs. Radio Broadcast: 6:50 p.m. on 97.7 and 93.5 FM “The Other Side of the River.”
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The Gwinnett Stripers are the Triple-A International League affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, playing their 11th season at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville, Ga. For tickets, team merchandise or more information, visit GoStripers.com. Follow the Stripers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at GoStripers.