Trailing 2-1, Cedric Hunter's go-ahead two-run single in the top of the ninth lifted the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (28-25) to a 4-2 win over the Charlotte Knights (28-27) on Thursday night at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte.

In the top of the ninth, a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases with one out to set the stage for Hunter's two-run single which gave the Pigs a 3-2 lead. Will Venable followed with an RBI double into the right centerfield gap to provide an insurance run and open up a 4-2 lead for Lehigh Valley.

All three runs were charged to Knights RHP Michael Ynoa (0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB) who was tagged with the loss and drops to 1-3 on the year.

RHP Luis Garcia (1.0 IP, H, R, ER, 2 K) got the win for the Pigs to improve to 3-1 on the year. RHP Edward Mujica (1.0 IP, H, K) tossed a scoreless bottom of the ninth to notch his 14th save of the season.

Charlotte had taken a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth when Tim Anderson led off with a single, advanced to second on a sac bunt, to third on a wild pitch and later scored on the second wild pitch of the inning by Garcia.

The game was scoreless until the top of the fifth as Pigs starter James Russell and Knights starter Erik Johnson traded zeroes.

In the top of the fifth, Brock Stassi's solo shot off of Johnson gave the IronPigs a 1-0 lead. The home run was Stassi's (2-3, HR, RBI, 2 R) second of the season and extended his hitting streak to five games.

Charlotte tied things at one apiece in the bottom of the sixth with Omar Narvaez's solo shot off of RHP Severino Gonzalez. Later in the inning, the Knights had the potential go-ahead run at second with two outs, but Gonzalez fanned Matt Davidson to end the threat.

Russell (n/d) gave up three hits while walking one and fanning four over five shutout innings.

With things deadlocked at one, the Pigs had the potential go-ahead run at third with two outs in the top of the seventh, but Johnson got Venable to fly to left and end the inning.

Johnson (n/d) allowed one run on five hits to go along with two walks and five strikeouts over seven innings of work.

In the home half of the frame, the Knights had runners at first and second with one out, but Gonzalez (2.0 IP, 4 H, R, ER, 3 K) got Andy Parrino to line out to short and Narvaez to fly to left and escape the jam.

Andrew Knapp (2-4, R) also had a multi-hit game for manager Dave Brundage's squad.

The series continues on Friday at 7:05 p.m. as RHP Zach Eflin (5-1, 2.81) will be on the bump for the IronPigs against Charlotte RHP Jacob Turner (3-3, 5.50).