Almonte's Double Leads RailRiders to Victory

Moosic, PA. - Zoilo Almonte broke a 5-5 tie with an RBI double in the ninth inning to lead the RailRiders to a 6-5 victory over the Buffalo Bisons (Triple-A/Toronto Blue Jays) Tuesday night at PNC Field. The win improved the RailRiders to 3-1 against Buffalo on the season and effectively snapped a two-game losing skid.

 After combining for two extra-base hits in its last four games, the RailRiders offense smacked 13 hits, adding five doubles in the walk-off win.

Carmen Angelini led off the home half of the third with a single and, after a double by Ramon Flores, came around to score on a Scott Sizemore single to left. Russ Canzler added the second run of the inning with a fly out to center to score Flores. The sacrifice fly marked the fourth of the year for Canzler. Adonis Garcia extended a team-best 10-game hitting streak with a double in that same frame. The run-scoring hit plated Sizemore for the final run of the frame to push the RailRiders lead to 3-0.

Buffalo avoided the shutdown frame with two runs in the fourth. Former RailRider Dan Johnson reached on an infield hit and came around to score on a throwing error by Canzler. The Bisons added and extra tally on a wild pitch by RailRiders starting pitcher Brian Gordon, the throw drew the deficit to one, 3-2.

After combining to toss 11.2 of one-run ball in their previous outing, Gordon and Bisons starter Ricky Romero each labored through five innings.

After back-to-back outs in the RailRider fifth, Garcia and Ronnier Mustelier added consecutive base knocks for SWB to extend the inning. Mustelier reached on an infield hit before a throwing error by Buffalo's Steve Tolleson scored Garcia. The run extended the RailRiders advantage to 4-2.

Buffalo added three runs through the next two innings, plating a run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Johnson. The Herd added two more in the sixth courtesy of a Kevin Nolan triple that scored Kevin Pillar. The final run for Buffalo came on a sacrifice fly by Munenori Kawasaki that brought Nolan home.

After rain threatened the conclusion to the evening, the RailRiders offense secured the victory in the ninth. Angelini and Flores each recorded outs to begin the ninth, before Sizemore laced a single up the middle. Almonte plated the winning run with a drive to right-center that scored Sizemore from first. The walk-off win was the second of the season for SWB and marked its fourth win of the one-run variety on the campaign.  

The RailRiders continue their eight-game homestand on Wednesday, April 23 at 10:35 a.m. when the club hosts the Buffalo Bisons. SWB sends right-hander Alfredo Aceves (0-0, 0.00) to the hill, while the Bisons toss righty Kyle Drabrek (1-1, 7.07). John Sadak and Aaron Berlin will have the call on radio with the pregame show starting at 10:05 a.m. on NEPA Sports Radio - The GAME, Northeast PA's largest sports radio network: 100.7 FM, 1340 WYCK-AM, 1400 WICK-AM, 1440 WCDL-AM and 106.7 FM. For season ticket information, single-game tickets or to book a ballpark group outing, call (570) 969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.

 

OFF THE RAILS:

Adonis Garcia extended a team-best 10-game hitting streak with a double in the third.

The RailRiders manager Dave Miley (2007-Present; 574-445) tied SWB Red Barons skipper Marc Bombard (1997-2004; 574-502) for the all-time wins lead in franchise history.

Russ Canzler's sacrifice fly to center in third gave him sole possesion of the league lead in that category.

All six strikeouts record by the RailRiders pitching staff were of the looking variety.

- SWB RailRiders - All Aboard! -