STAFF REPORTS
Hits were awfully hard to come by Friday night at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, PA and the IronPigs got the only one that mattered.
Collin Cowgill hit a three-run home run in the third inning and Ben Liveley combined with Jacob Waguespack on a one-hitter as the IronPigs shutdown the Bisons, 3-0, for their fifth consecutive win.
Darnell Sweeney‘s first-inning double was the only hit the Herd could muster, after which the club only had three more base runners all game, all via the walk.
Lively was making his first appearance since landing on the Phillies disabled list in late April. Optioned to the IronPigs on Wednesday, the righty made the most of his 68 pitches by throwing 43 strikes and getting through five innings of work. He retired the last 10 batters he faced and recorded three strikeouts.
Waguespack took over in the sixth and allowed just two free passes while striking out four. With the Bisons only sending 31 batters to the plate over eight innings, the game was wrapped up in just 121 minutes.
The last time the Bisons were one hit was August 19, 2017 with a quartet of Gwinnett (then) Braves hurlers held the Herd to one hit in a 1-0 victory.
Ryan Borucki was tough as well for the Bisons, but gave up the one hit he couldn’t afford. After Logan Moore walked to open the third and Dean Anna reached on a two-base error by first baseman Rowdy Tellez, Cowgil launched the three-run homer to left for the game’s only run-producing knock.
Borucki went six innings in the quality start, allowing just three hits while striking out four.
The Bisons have now lost four of five, a streak they’ll look to snap with a 6:35 p.m. start in Lehigh Valley on Saturday.
