Gosewisch Grand In IronPigs Win

The IronPigs just keep on rolling early on. While the bats still haven't come alive, somebody has stepped up every night with that one big hit to propel the IronPigs to a 6-2 start that has them sitting alone in first place exactly a week into the season.

Tonight the hero was Tuffy Gosewisch who delivered the biggest hit of the young season.

With the Pigs down 3-1 in the 4th, Gosewisch hit the first pitch he saw from Yunesky Maya over the right field wall for a grand slam. It was the first Triple-A home run for Tuffy who started behind the plate tonight and the first IronPigs grand slam since Brandon Moss hit one last May.

The other run in the Pigs' 5-run 4th inning came before Tuffy's at-bat. On a groundball to third base off the bat of Joe Thurston, Kevin Frandsen broke for home. The throw from former IronPig Carlos Rivero beat him by a mile, but Frandsen slid around catcher Carols Maldonado and then reached back to touch the plate before Maldonado could tag him. It was one of the best slides I've ever seen in baseball. Frandsen also picked up his first two hits of the year in this one.

Phillippe Aumont got a save for the second straight night. He leads the team in saves with three.
(Mitch Hyman image)

Syracuse would score a run in the 6th, but that was it as the IronPig bullpen put on another great performance. In relief of Pat Misch, Brian Sanches, Raul Valdes, and Phillippe Aumont held the Chiefs to one run and three hits over the last four innings. Sanches allowed the run and all three hits in the 6th inning before Valdes pitched two perfect innings and Aumont notched his second save in as many nights (third overall) with a two-strikeout 9th.

Misch pitched 5 innings, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits to get his first win as an IronPig.

Syracuse first baseman Tyler Moore accounted for three of the Chiefs' four runs with two home runs in the game. Including Wednesday night's 9th inning blast, Moore had homered in three straight at-bats before striking out in the 5th.

Bryce Harper was again held in check with an 0 for 4 night at the plate.

The third and final game of the series is tomorrow night at 7:05. Tom Cochran (1-0, 3.60) starts for the IronPigs against recently demoted John Lannan (0-1, 22.50).

Pig of the Game Candidates
1. Tuffy Gosewisch: 4th inning grand slam
2. Raul Valdes: 2 IP, 0 H, 4 K
3. Kevin Frandsen: 2 for 4, run



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Forgot to mention that Tyler Cloyd got the win last night for Reading in his first appearance with the Phils' Double-A squad since being demoted. Cloyd, who pitched 6 perfect innings for the Pigs on Opening Day, pitched 6 for Reading allowing 2 runs on 6 hits while striking out 6 and walking none.

If you think our pitching is good despite a struggling offense, check out Pawtucket. Their pitching staff leads the IL with a 1.34 ERA, have given up the fewest number of hits (47) and runs (12), and lead the IL in WHIP (1.04), but the PawSox are only 4-4. They have lost four of their first eight games by two runs or less.