RailRiders Walk-Off to Extend Winning Streak to Six
Moosic, Pa. - A double by Brent Lillibridge in the ninth inning gave the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) a walk-off win over the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins). Lillibridge also homered and drove in a total of two runs in a three-hit day. With the win, the RailRiders have now won six straight and have moved back to .500 at 46-46.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first, the RailRiders forced the first lead change of the ballgame. With two outs, Lillibridge singled to center field, and Randy Ruiz followed with a two-run home run to left-center field that gave SWB the 2-1 lead. It was Ruiz's ninth home run in just 25 games with the RailRiders.
The lead did not last long, as Rochester stormed back with three in the second on one swing of the bat. With Brian Dinkelman and James Beresford aboard at first base, Ray Olmedo hit a three-run home run to the Budweiser Railhouse in right field. The big swing gave Rochester a 4-2 advantage.
The Red Wings added to it in the fourth, when Beresford led off with a single, and later came around to score on a base hit by Eric Farris.
Lillibridge led off the fourth inning with a line-drive home run to left field. His sixth homer as a RailRider trimmed the deficit to 5-3.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre tied the game in the fifth. After Josh Bell reached on an infield single, Bobby Wilson and Walter Ibarra each reached on bunts to load the bases. Corey Patterson then hit a sacrifice fly to left field that drove home Bell, and moved Wilson to third base. Thomas Neal followed with a sacrifice fly of his own to right field, which scored Wilson and tied the game at five.
Wilson came through with a big hit to give SWB the lead in the sixth. Addison Maruszak and Bell each reached via singles with one out, and Wilson followed with a double over the head of Antoan Richardson in center. It drove both runners home, and gave the RailRiders a 7-5 lead.
Chris Colabello homered in the sixth for Rochester to cut the lead to one, and Dinkelman scored on a double play in the eighth which tied the game back up at seven.
The bottom of the ninth began quietly, as the first two batters were retired. With the outfield playing back, Neal blooped a single to left-center. He moved to second on a wild pitch, and Lillibridge then sent a double to deep center field that went off the glove of Richardson, and plated Neal for the walk-off win.
Mike Zagurski (4-1) recorded the final two outs of the top of the ninth to earn the win.
Shairon Martis (1-3) allowed the Lillibridge double, and picked up the loss for Rochester.
SWB has now won six games in a row, and seven straight at PNC Field. They will go for the sweep of Rochester on Wednesday night, as Derek Jeter will return to the RailRider lineup and will play shortstop. First pitch at PNC Field is set for 7:05 p.m., and prospect right-hander Jose Ramirez (1-1, 3.68) will take the mound.
- SWB RailRiders - All Aboard! -