Eight-Run Fourth Dooms RailRiders in Loss

Moosic, Pa. - An eight-run fourth inning was the difference Friday night as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) opened a 10-game homestand with a 10-2 loss to the Pawtucket Red Sox (Boston Red Sox) at PNC Field. The loss snapped SWB's five-game winning streak and dropped SWB to 5-4 against the Red Sox this year.

A game that had a rough start, had an even rougher ending. SWB starter Matt Tracy issued a leadoff base hit to right-handed hitting Mookie Betts and it only got worse. Tracy loaded the bases with walk to Ryan Roberts and Ryan Lavarnway, a bruised batter followed for the game's game's first run. Pawtucket made it a two-run lead courtesy of a run scoring extra-base hit by Devin Marrero that made it 2-0.

Tracy retired his first two batters in the visiting fourth before the next seven all reached base to spark the eight-run fourth. Betts doubled with two outs and Jonathan Herrera reached on a strikeout passed ball, before Roberts hung the crooked on a home run to left. Five more runs followed in the inning courtesy of a bases loaded walk and run scoring knocks by Alex Hassan, Corey Brown and Betts for the insurmountable 10-0.

With the game out of hand, the RailRiders got a pair of runs back in a two-run eighth. Jose Pirela and Rob Refsnyder each reached base and plated runs on RBI singles by Zoilo Almonte and Kyle Roller to brought the score to the final 10-2 mark.

Pawtucket starter Anthony Ranaudo (12-4, 2.41) picked up the win as he kept the RailRiders hitters at bay, twirling six scoreless innings and scattering three hits in his first win in three tries against the RailRiders. SWB starter Tracy (1-3) suffered the loss, spinning 3.2 innings.

The RailRiders continue the ten-game homestand Saturday, July 26 when SWB hosts Pawtucket Red Sox (Boston Red Sox) for the second of four at 7:05 p.m. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has yet to announce a starter, while the Red Sox counter with the righty Allen Webster (4-4, 3.10).  John Sadak and Aaron Berlin will have the call on radio with the pregame show beginning at 6:35 p.m. on NEPA Sports Radio -The GAME, Northeast PA's largest 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 swbrailirders.com.

 

OFF THE RAILS

Adonis Garcia extended his current hitting streak to eight games with a double in the fourth inning. During the eight-game run, Garcia has gone 12-for-36 with three extra-base hits. In contrast, John Ryan Murphy had a five-game hitting streak snapped with an 0-for-4 night.

The eight-run inning by the Red Sox in the fourth tied for the most runs allowed in a single frame by the RailRiders this season, with the last such occurrence coming on May 30 when the Indianapolis Indians plated eight runs in the fifth at Victory Field.

- SWB RailRiders - All Aboard! -