The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are back home this week after making the short trip up to Moosic to face the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders for six games.

The two teams split the series leaving the IronPigs to return home with a two-game losing streak after dropping the last two games.

The teams engaged in a bench-clearing brawl in the Friday night game after Felix Reyes was hit by a pitch and glared out at pitcher Adam Kloffenstein and then began walking toward the mound.

The hit by pitch was not an isolated incident as Kloffenstein had hit Otto Kemp twice and hit Keaton Anthony once prior to hitting Reyes.

The largest melee turned out to be between managers Tank Adamson and Shelley Duncan with both being among the four players ejected in the incident. Later, RailRiders pitcher Peter Strzelecki was ejected when he hit Kemp after the umpires had given warnings to both teams.

In all, four IronPigs players were hit by pitches in the first three games of the series, including three that were hit in the first game of Friday’s doubleheader that was scheduled after Thursday’s game was suspended by rain. In all, RailRiders pitchers hit 10 batters in the series and there were two Scranton batters hit by pitches.

Coming into this week, the Pigs are 32-37 and have been eliminated from the race for the first half championship in the International League.

The first half ends on Sunday and Rochester (42-25) and Memphis (43-26) are tied for the first-half title with the Red Wings holding a percentage points lead due to having played two less games.

This week, Lehigh Valley returns home to host the Worcester Red Sox (33-32).

YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST ... Gabriel Rincones Jr. opened the season on the IL with knee inflammation and missed all of spring training and the first five weeks of the regular season. He played 12 games with Lehigh Valley when he got the call to join the Phillies for their series in Milwaukee. He went hitless against Cy Young Award candidate Jacob Misiorowski, but in the second game of his MLB career, Rincones went deep against Miami’s Ryan Gusto for his first MLB hit and home run. Rincones is the left-handed hitting side of a right field platoon with newly acquired Derek Hill. The addition of Hill sent Steward Berroa back to the IronPigs.

KING OF THE MOUND ... Chuck King threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings against Scranton in his start last week. On the season he is now 3-3 with a 4.02 ERA with 39 strikeouts and 16 walks in 40 1/3 innings with Lehigh Valley. Bryse Wilson threw just three innings in his start on Thursday but kept the RailRiders off the board. Out of the bullpen, neither Lou Trivino (3 1/3 IP) nor Kirby Snead (3 IP) allowed an earned run. Seth Johnson (2 2/3 IP), Nolan Hoffman (2 IP), and newcomer Mitch Neunborn all did the same.

WE HAVE LIFTOFF ... Keaton Anthony enjoyed his visit to Moosic last week. The first baseman and designated hitter hit three home runs and drove in seven runs; both were tops on the team. He also tied for the team lead in runs scored (6) with Otto Kemp. Like Rincones, Anthony started the season on the IL after fouling a ball off his foot and breaking a bone in spring training. While he wasn’t playing longball, Christian Cairo was seeing doubles. The versatile infielder/outfielder had three doubles and hit .333 (5-for-15) with a .476 OBP. He also drew more walks (5) than strikeouts (2) and was successful on two stolen base attempts.

SHARK ATTACKS THE FSL ... The Clearwater Threshers (39-24) are the first-half champions in the West Division of the Florida State League. The championship guarantees the Phillies Low-A affiliate a spot in the playoffs in the FSL. It’s the fourth straight season that the Threshers have reached the playoffs.