Healthy Hacks: RailRiders homer twice in 4-2 win

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (May 8, 2021) – Home runs from Luke Voit and Derek Dietrich and 6.1 stellar innings from the bullpen powered the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders to a 4-2 victory over the Syracuse Mets on Saturday night. It was the RailRiders fourth straight win over the Mets.

In the fourth game of his rehab assignment, Luke Voit finished 1-for-4 with the home run and played seven innings at first base. The round tripper was his second of the season.

On the first pitch of the game, Voit crushed a home run against Mets starter Jordan Yamamoto. The RailRiders tacked on another when Kyle Holder drew a walk with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 2-0.

Brian Keller took the ball for SWB and was strong in his 2021 debut. The right-hander allowed only one run on one hit in 2.2 innings in his first game action since 2019. Reggie McClain (1-0) entered after him and faced the minimum in 2.1 frames.

In the top of the fourth, Dietrich led off against Yamamoto (0-1) with a solo home run to right field to extend the RailRiders lead to 3-1.

Trey Amburgey added an insurance run in the top of the ninth with a pinch-hit single against Tom Windle scoring Chris Gittens, who replaced Voit in the field.

Nick Nelson allowed two hits and struck out four in 3.0 scoreless innings of work, and Luis Garcia allowed a run to score in the bottom of the ninth, but held on to complete the win and earn his first save of the season.

The RailRiders continue their six-game series with the Mets on Sunday afternoon at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse. The game can be heard on the RailRiders Baseball Network with first pitch at 1:05 p.m. and pregame coverage beginning at 12:45.

The RailRiders 2021 home opener at PNC Field is scheduled for Tuesday, May 11 against Lehigh Valley at 6:35 p.m. For tickets and more information, call (570) 969-BALL or slide to www.swbrailriders.com/tickets.

POSTGAME NOTES: The SWB bullpen has allowed only one run in the last 11.1 innings over three games… The RailRiders drew a season-high nine walks in the game, and have walked at least eight times in three straight contests… The Baby Bombers have hit have hit multiple home runs in four straight games.