Rally Capped: RailRiders overcome big deficit

CHARLOTTE, NC (April 14, 2018) - The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre rallied from a four-run deficit to beat the Charlotte Knights 10-5 on Saturday night at BB&T Ballpark. The RailRiders scored six runs in the seventh, keyed by a bases-loaded double from L.J. Mazzilli, to take the lead after being limited to one run on five hits over the first six innings.

The Knights opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Daniel Palka hit a two-run home run off Daniel Camarena. Palka has homered in each of the three games in the series.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre got a run back on a groundout in the top of the second, but Charlotte added three runs in the bottom of the fourth to knock Camarena out of the game. Ryan Cordell doubled in a pair with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 5-1.
 Michael Kopech, the second-best prospect in the Chicago White Sox system according to Baseball America, allowed one run on five hits over six innings, striking out three and walking two.
 In the top of the seventh, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre plated six runs on four hits in the to take a 7-5 lead. Robbie Ross relieved Kopech and walked the first two batters he faced.Abiatal Avelino singled to load the bases and Rashad Crawford singled home Zack Zehner to cut the Knights lead down to three at 5-2. L.J. Mazzilli, playing in just his second game with the RailRiders, doubled off new pitcher Juan Minaya with the bases full to tie the game at five. Gleyber Torres doubled in Mazzilli for a 6-5 lead and then scored on a sac fly to extend the edge.
 In the eighth, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre added three runs on a solo home run from Erik Kratz and a two-run double by Torres.
 Brady Lail earned the win and Oliver Pérez worked a scoreless seventh for his second hold of the season. Minaya (0-1) was charged with a blown save and the loss. Mazzilli and Torres drove in a game-high three runs each and the bottom third of the RailRiders order combined to go 5-10 with five runs scored.
This series concludes Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. with Brody Koerner and T.J. House pitching for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Charlotte, respectively. Follow along with all the action on The Game NEPA's Sports Radio, online at swbrailriders.com and on the RadioBold and TuneIn Radio Apps, with coverage starting at 6:35 p.m.