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Scintillating Sunday: Leal and Velazquez shine in series finale

RailRiders top WooSox 6-1 Sunday to claim fifth win of the week
Erick Leal's seven-inning start Sunday was the longest of the season by any RailRiders pitcher. (Kirsten Peters)
By Michael Struckus
June 29, 2025

MOOSIC, PA (June 29, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Worcester Red Sox 6-1 Sunday afternoon at PNC Field. A four-run fourth and a quality start from RailRiders pitcher Erick Leal secured the series finale victory as the RailRiders took five of six from the WooSox. Box Score After

MOOSIC, PA (June 29, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Worcester Red Sox 6-1 Sunday afternoon at PNC Field. A four-run fourth and a quality start from RailRiders pitcher Erick Leal secured the series finale victory as the RailRiders took five of six from the WooSox.

Box Score

After three scoreless opening frames, Worcester started the offense in the fourth. With two outs, Vaughn Grissom walked and scored after Trayce Thompson reached on a fielding error for a 1-0 edge.

The RailRiders lifted two home runs off MLB Rehabber Tanner Houck in the home half of the frame to take the lead. Yankees #2 Prospect Spencer Jones launched the first offering he saw 360-feet over the right field wall, evening the game at one. Bryan De La Cruz continued the offense, smoking a double down the left field line. With two outs, Alex Jackson walked, setting up Andrew Velazquez, who cleared the bases with a 394-foot three-run blast, giving Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a 4-1 advantage.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre plated a run in the bottom of the sixth off reliever Wyatt Olds. After loading the bases on three walks, Duke Ellis drove an RBI single to center, scoring De La Cruz to give the RailRiders a four-run lead.

Worcester threatened in the eighth, putting two aboard with two outs, but RailRiders reliever Leonardo Pestana retired Red Sox #5 Prospect Jhostynxon Garcia to hold the four-run margin.

Alex Jackson doubled with two outs in the eighth and scored when Velazquez laced an RBI single down the right field line for a 6-1 advantage. Velazquez was 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a run scored in the finale.

Leal’s (3-7) start was the longest appearance of any RailRiders pitcher this year, tossing 7.0 innings and allowing an unearned run on one hit while striking out seven for his second win of the series. Houck (0-3) threw 3.2 frames, surrendering four runs on seven hits in the loss.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has won seven of its last eight, climbing eight games above .500 with the victory.

The RailRiders travel to Coca-Cola Park to play the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Tuesday for the first three games of a six-game set. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre returns to PNC Field on Friday, July 4, with an extended Independence Day Fireworks Show sponsored by the Pennsylvania Lottery. Tickets are available at www.swbrailriders.com.