Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

The Ironton Fighting Tigers were close, but the next time they need to grab the cigar.
It was a “close but no cigar” effort for Ironton as the Fighting Tigers got within a run late only to give up 4 runs in the seventh inning and fall to the Wheelersburg Pirates 7-2 on Tuesday.
Wheelersburg was the beneficiary of some uncharacteristic wildness by Ironton ace Jacob Sloan to go up 2-0.
The Pirates got a run in the top of the first when Eric Green singled, Case Dyer hit into a fielder’s choice, Cooper McKenzie singled, Braden Horr walked and Ethan Ison was hit by a pitch.
The lead went to 2-0 in the second on a hit by D.J. Horton, a walked to Green and Dyer’s double.
The Pirates pushed across a run in the fourth when Green doubled, Dyer put down a sacrifice bunt and Cooper McKenzie hit a sacrifice fly.
Ironton (2-1) cut the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth.
Cameron Deere singled, Sloan walked, both moved up on a fielder’s choice and scored on a hit by Kyle Howell.
But Wheelersburg scored 4 runs in the seventh — 2 were unearned — on a walk, 2 errors, a hit by McKenzie and a 2-run double by Mason Montgomery.
Ironton host Russell, Ky., at 5 p.m. Friday.
Wheelersburg 110 100 4 = 7 8 1
Ironton 000 002 0 = 2 7 4
Braden Horr, Hunter Thomas (6) and xxxx. Jacob Sloan, Jon Wylie (4), Ashton Duncan (7) and Cole Freeman. W-Horr (IP-5.2, H-6, R-2, ER-2, K-1, BB-2). Thomas (IP-1.1, H-1, BB-1). L-Sloan (IP-3, H-5, R-2, ER-2, K-1, BB-2, HBP-2). Wylie (IP-3, H-1, R-1, ER-1, K-4). Duncan (IP-1, H-2, R-4, ER-1, BB-1). Hitting-WHS: Eric Green 2-4 2B, Case Dyer 1-3 RBI, Cooper McKenzie 2-3 2-RBI, Chase Conely 1-4, Mason Montgomery 1-3 2B 2-RBI, D.J. Horton 1-3 RBI; Ironton: Trevor Kleinman 1-3, Cameron Deere 1-4, Nate Bias 1-4 2B, Kyle Howell 1-3, Connor Kleinman 1-1, Peyton Aldridge 2-3.