The Lehigh Valley IronPigs post a 6-1 victory over Rochester following a rain delay.
ALLENTOWN, PA. — Bartolo Colon pitched 3.2 innings, giving up 4 runs on 4 hits, walking 2 and striking out 5 Lehigh Valley IronPigs hitters in making his debut with the Rochester Red Wings on Thursday night. Lehigh Valley posted a 6-1 victory at Coca-Cola Park.
Colon, a former New York Met, signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.
The 44-year-old right-hander yielded the four runs on four hits (all for extra bases) and two walks with five strikeouts. He allowed a solo homer to J.P. Crawford in the third inning that staked the ‘Pigs to a 2-0 lead.
An inning later it was a one-out double from Andrew Pullin that plated a pair of runs for Lehigh Valley and increased the lead to 4-0.
Colón bounced back to strikeout Hector Gomez and Logan Moore before giving way to D.J. Baxendale who retired all five IronPigs he faced. In fact, Baxendale and Alan Busenitz each tossed 1.2 perfect innings of relief.
The Wings pushed across a run in the seventh on a two-out, bases loaded walk to Tommy Field, but IronPigs reliever Michael Mariot bounced back to get Matt Hague looking to end the threat.
Rochester went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.
Colón retired the first two batters he faced on a fly ball to right and a high chopper to third that was corralled by Tommy Field, before surrendering back-to-back doubles to Rhys Hoskins and Dylan Cozens that gave Lehigh Valley the 1-0 lead in the first inning.
In total, Colón threw 76 pitches, 50 for strikes.
*NOTES — The game was delayed one hour and 41 minutes to due to rain…The concession stands at Coca-Cola Park served a Big Sexy sandwich that included pulled pork, bacon, salami, cheddar cheese, cabbage, tomato and thousand island dressing…At 44 years, 50 days old Colon is the oldest player to play for the Wings since Luke Easter (48) in 1964…The last 40-year-old to pitch for the Wings was Bob Keegan in 1960…Colon is the oldest pitcher to pitch in the IL since 49-year-old Jamie Moyer appeared in 3 games with Norfolk in 2012…In Red Wings roster moves, RHP Nick Tepesch has been returned from his rehab assignment but will remain on the disabled list.