J.J. Furmaniak News

The first time the IronPigs reached .500 back on June 28, the feat didn't mean all that much to Dave Huppert.

Drew Carpenter is back. Not that he physically went anywhere, except for a three-day stop in the Phillies bullpen in late July.

Miguel Cairo delivered a groundball single up in the middle against a drawn-in infield in the bottom of the 10th inning, enabling the Lehigh Valley IronPigs to end a three-game losing streak with a 10-9 win over Louisville on Wednesday night.

Neil Sellers wouldn't mind a little hype. He certainly wouldn't reject an interview request from Baseball America, the Philadelphia Inquirer or Comcast SportsNet.

Not that many years ago, many of the current professional baseball players from the Joliet area were enjoying success on youth levels in this area.

Columbus pitcher Carlos Carrasco used the word ''weird'' to describe his week after earning the win in a 9-6 victory over Lehigh Valley Friday night at Coca-Cola Park.

Columbus pitcher Carlos Carrasco used the word ''weird'' to describe his week after earning the win in a 9-6 victory over Lehigh Valley Friday night at Coca-Cola Park.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs avoided a series sweep by the Charlotte Knights, with a 4-3 victory, on Thursday.

What a difference a year makes. After an inaugural season in the Lehigh Valley where it seemed every bounce went against them, the 2009 IronPigs appear to be getting the breaks such as the one they received in the fourth inning of a 7-5 victory over Rochester in the first game of a doubleheader at Coca-Cola Park.

Pedro Martinez didn't sign with the Phillies today. Just a matter of time... The Lehigh Valley IronPigs beat the Rochester Red Wings, 7-5, on Saturday.

Jackson and Pena team with Cervelli to cut down potential tying run in ninth. ALLENTOWN From his spot behind the plate, Francisco Cervelli looked at the hard-charging IronPigs runner who was about to bear down on him and knew the game-deciding play was going to be close.

Wilmington High School is a perennial power in Joliet area baseball. The critics are quick to point out the Wildcats play on the small-school level.

Fans have been flocking to Coca-Cola Park to see the red-hot IronPigs. Norfolk third baseman Melvin Dorta followed up a two-out error by Lehigh Valley third baseman Terry Tiffee with a grand slam home run to propel the Tides past Lehigh Valley 6-1 at Coca-Cola Park .

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs broke up a no-hitter by Chris Tillman in the seventh inning, erupting for six runs en route to a 6-1 victory over the Norfolk Tides in the International League.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are counting on Brad Lincoln one day soon joining the latest rebuilding project at PNC Park.

Jorge Vazquez homered in the top of the ninth and Amaury Sanit set down the Akron Aeros in the bottom of the inning last night as the Trenton Thunder won the Eastern League game, 7-6. Edwar Gonzalez had homered in the top of the eighth to tie the game, 6-6. The Thunder had ripped three doubles in a five-run fifth to a take 5-2 lead.

ALLENTOWN a ' Centerfielder Jason Ellison punctuated the IronPig's homecoming with a diving catch for the final out as Lehigh Valley downed Indianapolis 6-3 before 9,443 at Coca Cola Park.

One day after using power to subdue Durham, the IronPigs made it three straight over the Bulls behind pitching, defense and timely hitting.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs' lumber was in a slumber for 10 innings Wednesday. But thankfully for the Pigs, their pitchers dominated Durham batters throughout the International League game.

The Joliet area has some of its favorite sons playing baseball all over the country.