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Tuesday Trouble: RailRiders felled by Indians 6-5

SWB falls in series opener against Indianapolis at PNC Field
Duke Ellis went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double and his second home run of the season on Tuesday night. (Vin Rinella)
By Michael Struckus
August 12, 2025

MOOSIC, PA (August 12, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders dropped the series opener against the Indianapolis Indians 6-5 Tuesday night at PNC Field. The RailRiders brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth but could not push any runs across to secure the victory. Box

MOOSIC, PA (August 12, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders dropped the series opener against the Indianapolis Indians 6-5 Tuesday night at PNC Field. The RailRiders brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth but could not push any runs across to secure the victory.

Box Score

Indians left fielder Ronny Simon tripled off RailRiders starter Erick Leal to open the game, scoring on a Nick Solak sacrifice fly for a 1-0 edge. Indianapolis loaded the bases in the second, plating their second run on a Tsung-Che Cheng force out.

RailRiders third baseman Jeimer Candelario halved the deficit in the bottom of the second against Indians starter Drake Fellows, launching a 402-foot solo shot to right to pull within one.

With two outs in the third, Indianapolis answered with a Cam Devanney home run for their second two-run lead of the game. In the fourth, Matt Frazier tripled and scored on a Rafael Flores sacrifice fly for a 4-1 cushion.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. Bryan De La Cruz doubled, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on an Omar Martinez RBI single to cut the lead to two. Representing the tying run, Duke Ellis lifted a 411-foot two-run blast to center, squaring the game at four.

Indianapolis jumped back out in front in the fifth after Solak sent a two-run homer to left for a 6-4 advantage.

The RailRiders chipped into the lead in the home half of the fifth. After Yankees #26 Prospect T.J. Rumfield singled, #4 Prospect Spencer Jones reached on a base hit, and Jose Rojas walked to load the bases, Braden Shewmake plated a run on a force out to climb within one.

SWB put two aboard with no one out in the bottom of the sixth, but a strikeout and a lineout double play ended the threat. The RailRiders put a runner on in the ninth after Jorbit Vivas reached on an infield single and stole second, but another double play lineout closed the game.

Leal (7-9) allowed six runs on seven hits over four innings of work in defeat. Fellows surrendered four runs on five hits through four frames. Ryan Harbin (1-0) earned the win, allowing one run on two hits over two innings. Evan Sisk earned his fifth save of the year with a scoreless ninth.

The RailRiders continue their series with Indianapolis on Wednesday at PNC Field. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre will send Allan Winans (10-0) to face left-hander Hunter Barco (2-1). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 P.M. Tickets are available at www.swbrailriders.com.