Two Much: Second Inning downs SWB

MOOSIC, Pa. (April 21, 2018) - A late comeback fell short for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Saturday evening at PNC Field, as the team fell to the Toledo Mud Hens 6-5. The RailRiders have now lost five straight games.

The Mud Hens got on the board in the top of the second rallying for six runs against Brody Koerner while sending 10 batters to the plate. The first seven batsmen of the frame reached base safely before the RailRiders right-hander settled down to retire the side.
 
Koerner retired the final 13 batters he faced in his 5.2-inning outing. He yielded six runs on five hits, walked two and struck out one. Incredibly, the only batters to reach against the Virginia native in the game came in the fateful second inning.
 
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre answered in the bottom of the fifth with a three-run rally against A.J. Ladwig. Shane Robinson doubled down the left field line to score Zack Zehner with the first run of the frame. Two batters later, a two-run single from Kyle Higashioka narrowed the gap to 6-3.
 
Nestor Cortes made his 2018 RailRiders debut in relief of Koerner and worked around two hits and three walks to twirl 2.2 scoreless frames. Cale Coshow struck out two batters in the top of the ninth to escape a second-and-third, two out threat unscathed.
 
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre put runners on base in the sixth and seventh innings, but couldn't break through against the Toledo bullpen. In the bottom of the ninth, Robinson singled to lead off against Johnny Barbato, then Ryan McBroom reached base on a catcher's interference. A Barbato wild witch advanced the runners to second and third, and a walk to Higashioka loaded the bases with nobody out. Mike Ford lifted a sacrifice fly to center to get the RailRiders within 6-4. Abiatal Avelino brought home another run with a groundout, then stole second to put the tying run on second in a 6-5 game.
 
Barbato was able to strike out Billy Fleming to retire the side and close out the win for Toledo. Koerner (1-1) got tagged with the loss for the RailRiders, while Ladwig (3-0) earned the win. The save was Barbato's first of the season.
 
Avelino finished 2-for-5 with two singles and an RBI and has now reached base safely in 11 straight games; the longest stretch for a RailRiders batter this season. Robinson was 3-for-5 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.
The RailRiders complete their three-game series with the Mud Hens on Sunday afternoon at PNC Field. First pitch is scheduled 1:05 p.m. RHP Chance Adams (0-1, 4.85) takes the bump for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, while Toledo counters with LHP Ryan Carpenter (0-1, 3.86). For tickets and more information, slide to www.swbrailriders.com/tickets or call (570) 964-BALL.