Bauers & Bullpen: SWB Victorious On Opening Day
MOOSIC, PA (March 31, 2023) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders celebrated Opening Night with a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Bisons. Jake Bauers was the hero of the game with two solo home runs in back-to-back at bats. The bullpen shined with 5.2 clean innings of work, notching eight strikeouts and
MOOSIC, PA (March 31, 2023) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders celebrated Opening Night with a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Bisons. Jake Bauers was the hero of the game with two solo home runs in back-to-back at bats. The bullpen shined with 5.2 clean innings of work, notching eight strikeouts and no walks.
Bauers got things started with a deep shot to center field in the bottom of the second off Bisons starter Casey Lawrence to take a 1-0 lead.
Buffalo countered with a run of their own in the top of the fourth. Wynton Bernard reached on an error and was able to move to second base. He sprinted to third tagging up after a fly out. Ernie Clement doubled Bernard home for the Bisons only run of the game.
Bauers countered for the RailRiders in the bottom half. This time, a line drive to right field cleared the fence for his second homer of the contest, giving Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a 2-1 lead over Buffalo.
Randy Vasquez got the start on Opening Day throwing three and a third allowing just one unearned run on three hits. Walks got the best of him as he issued five, including loading the bases with them in the first. Vasquez recorded six strikeouts.
Matt Bowman *(1-0) notched the win after tossing 1.2 solid innings, his first frames since 2019. He inherited one runner and stranded him on the base paths. Bowman tallied two strikeouts. *Matt Krook proved his reliever status with a clean sixth and seventh. He got five strikeouts under his belt. Nick Ramirez *took the eighth and set down the side in order. *Greg Weissert was strong in his first outing of the season, facing the minimum in the ninth for the save. The pitching staff struck out 14 batters while issuing just five walks.
Lawrence (0-1) took the loss despite striking out eight over five innings.
Scranton/Wilkes Barre evens out their home opener record to 17-17 with the win.
The RailRiders take on the Bisons tomorrow at PNC Field. Ryan Weber gets the ball for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against Zach Thompson with a 4:05 P.M. first pitch.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record:
1-0