IronPigs welcome 8 millionth fan in franchise’s 14th season
Sara Lloyd and her family come to one IronPigs game a year.
Lloyd’s timing Friday night could not have been better.
The Green Lane, Montgomery County, resident was recognized before the bottom of the first inning of the game against the Syracuse Mets as the 8 millionth fan to attend a contest at CocaCola Park.
Lloyd, who attended the game with her husband and two sons, received an 8-milllion fan IronPigs jersey; an autographed baseball; an IronPigs Pig Pack; and seat upgrade to the Klyr Rum Best Seats in the House in front of the IronPigs’ on deck circle.
The IronPigs debuted in 2008. They are Minor League Baseball’s per-game attendance leader since their inception, averaging more than 8,600 fans in 968 games before Friday.
“Congratulations to Sara on becoming the IronPigs’ 8 millionth fan,” IronPigs President and General Manager Kurt Landes said. “Eight million fans mean a lot to the IronPigs, but it’s the support from the entire community that helps make this moment special. The Lehigh Valley has embraced the IronPigs from Day One and we are eternally grateful.”
The franchise has won an MiLB-record five Golden Bobbleheads, which highlight the top promotions in a season. It also was awarded the Larry MacPhail Award in 2019, symbolizing MiLB’s top promotional effort by demonstrating outstanding and creative marketing and promotional efforts within its community, ballpark (including game and nongame day events), in media and other promotional materials.
Phillies minor league players of the month
Reading outfielder Carlos De La Cruz, Jersey Shore right-hander Andrew Painter and former Jersey Shore right-hander Ben Brown are the Phillies’ minor league hitter and co-pitchers of the month, respectively, for July.
De La Cruz, who was promoted at the beginning of the month to Double-A Reading, posted a .289/.368/.590 slash line (. 958 OPS). He was 24-for-83 with four doubles, seven homers, 15 RBI, 16 runs and three steals in 23 games last month with high-A Jersey Shore.
The 22-year-old slugged five home runs in a six-game span, including a multihomer game on July 23 against Brooklyn. The 6-foot-8 New York native was signed by the Phillies as a non-drafted free agent in August 2017.
Painter, 19, posted a 0.46 ERA (1 ER, 19.2 IP), 0.81 WHIP and had 25 strikeouts and two walks in five July starts with Jersey Shore. The 6-foot-7 righty held opponents to a .194 batting average (14-72) and .546 OPS.
He struck out 98 of 241 batters in his 15 starts this season while allowing 36 hits (. 166 batting average against) and posting a 1.47 ERA (10 ER, 61.1 IP). The Florida native was selected by the Phillies in the first round (No. 13 overall) of last year’s MLB Draft.
Brown posted a 1.57 ERA last month with 35 strikeouts and two walks in four outings (three starts) with Jersey Shore. The 22-year-old was a 33rd-round pick in 2017. He was traded to the Cubs on Aug. 2 for right-handed reliever David Robertson.
The New York native also was the MiLB South Atlantic League (Class A) pitcher of the month.
How they scored Friday
Top 1: Daniel Palka hit his 18th home run of the season with two outs. Mets 1-0.
Top 3: Deven Marrero walked to lead off, was sacrificed to second by Terrance Gore and scored on Nick Plummer’s double off the wall in right. Francisco Alvarez followed with a two-run homer to left, his 5th of the season. Mets 4-0.
Bottom 5: Josh Ockimey got the IronPigs’ first hit, a double, to lead off. He took third on Chris Sharpe’s fly ball and scored on Rafael Marchan’s infield single. Mets 4-1.
Bottom 7: Jorge Bonifacio hit his 11th homer of the year. Mets 4-2.
Top 8: Alvarez was hit by a pitch. Palka, Travis Blankenhorn and Nick Dini followed with singles. Alvarez and Palka scored. Mets 6-2.
Bottom 9: Bonifacio reached on a fielding error with two outs. Ockimey, Sharpe and Marchan walked to force in Bonifacio. Mets 6-3.
Game notes
LHP Bailey Falter was pulled after 6 ⅓ innings after retiring 12 of the last 14 batters. He threw 59 of 77 pitches for strikes. The lefty threw more than 77 pitches in nine of his previous 10 starts. Falter allowed two homers in his first seven starts with Lehigh Valley. He gave up two in the first three innings Friday . ... RHP Mark Appel allowed two runs in his first appearance since being sent down earlier this week by the Phillies . ... The IronPigs’ seasonbest, five-game winning streak is over . ... LHP Andrew Vasquez made his IronPigs debut in the ninth. It was his first outing since July 30 for Triple-A Buffalo. He was claimed off waivers Tuesday by the Phillies from the Blue Jays.
Roster moves
The Phillies recalled INF Nick Maton, who lost a nine-game hitting streak in Thursday night’s extra-inning victory. INF Yairo Muñoz was sent down to make room for Maton. Munoz was 3 for his last 22.
Up next
LHP Kent Emanuel (2-1, 2.45 ERA) faces Syracuse RHP Tim Adleman (2-1, 5.13 ERA) in a 6:35 p.m. Saturday start. Emanuel has worked at least five innings in his last four starts.