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IronPigs rally past Norfolk

ALLENTOWN - Coca Cola Park has always been a fun outing for the family. Finally, it is becoming a fun place for the players too.

Last night, the IronPigs fought through inconsistency to come from behind to beat the Norfolk Tide 3-2."What is making this fun right now is that they are not quitting and playing hard," Huppert said. "They are not looking at our record and going out there hard every day in every inning."Down 2-0 in the fifth, Lehigh Valley got no-out hits from Paul Hoover and Brian Bocock. With the top of the order up, scoring a run or two should have been a no-brainer. Chris Duffy failed to sacrifice them over by fouling his bunt to Tide catcher Michel Hernandez. Ozzie Chavez followed with the same result and "Mr. Everything" Dom Brown struck out on three pitches.Instead of a crushing blow in failing to score a runner from second for the fifth straight inning, Lehigh Valley responded.John Mayberry singled in the sixth and scored on Chris Aguila's double. Neil Sellers then singled to drive in Aguila to tie the game."We battled as a team, getting good at bats and working the pitchers and we were able to capitalize," Sellers said.In the eighth inning, Sellers drove in Mayberry for the winning run."Mayberry did a good job drawing a walk and stealing second [in the eighth]," Sellers said. "That was huge."IronPig starter Drew Carpenter was a little under the weather and struggled all night. He surrenderd eight hits, four walks, but gave up just two second inning runs in six innings."He kept us in the game, got out of some tight situations," Sellers said. "That's what he does; he makes pitches when he needs to."Lehigh Valley got another stellar night from their bullpen. Winning pitcher Michael Stutes pitched two scoreless innings striking out three and Antonio Bastardo pitched a perfect ninth.Norfolk lefty Chris George struck out 11 IronPigs in six innings but gave up those three big hits that allowed the IronPigs to tie the game.Tide pitching struck out 14 IronPigs with Andy Tracy earning the golden-sombrero by whiffing four times."They kept battling today," Huppert said. "It was one of those days where things don't fall into place then we get the two runs in one inning and then the big hit by Sellers."The IronPigs (44-58) have won seven of nine games."It's nice to be on this side of the game because we're finding ways to win," Sellers said. "It's a lot of fun, let's keep the ball rolling."Notes: Vance Worley, who pitched one scoreless inning for the Phillies on Saturday, will make his Triple-A debut with the IronPigs on Tuesday against the Durham Bulls ... Mayberry has hit .429 (21-49) in his last 12 games ... Michael Stutes' throwing error in the eighth inning was the first for Lehigh Valley in seven games.