Pineda Starts, Roller Homers in RailRiders Win

Moosic, Pa. - Armed with big league rehabber Michael Pineda on the bump, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) used a recipe of timely hitting and solid pitching to sweep the two-game series with the Syracuse Chiefs (Washington Nationals), 3-1, Sunday afternoon at PNC Field. The win concluded the RailRiders (57-58) 10-game homestand with a 6-4 ledger, while claiming their fourth-straight contest in the process.

Pineda began his major league rehab assignment with SWB by spinning his first start since April 23 against the Boston Red Sox. Pineda worked 3.1 shutout frames, allowing three base hits and striking out four Chiefs before departing in the fourth after a ground out by Brandon Laird. Reliever Tyler Webb finished off the inning by retiring successive batters to strand a runner at third.

Behind the solid start by Pineda and Webb, the RailRiders offense ignited for three runs between the fifth and sixth. Antoan Richardson reached in the home fifth on a one-out base hit and came around to score on Jose Pirela's double down the right-field line for the 1-0 lead. Kyle Roller provided some insurance with a majestic two-run home run to right-center for the 3-0 lead in the sixth.

Zach Nuding entered in the fifth inning and fired three scoreless frames before a wild pitch in the eighth with Tyler Moore standing at the plate scored the Chiefs only run. Branden Pinder, making his first appearance with the RailRiders since May 25, struck out his only batter faced to finish off the 3-1 RailRiders victory. Nuding (3-4) notched the win in relief, spinning 4.2 innings and scattering four hits and a run, marking his first win with the RailRiders since May 23. Aaron Laffey (11-4), the Chiefs' wins leader, was slated with loss.

The RailRiders will embark on a brief two-game road swing against the Syracuse Chiefs, August 4 at 7:05 p.m. SWB will start left-hander Nik Turley (1-2, 6.03) while the Chiefs counter with right-hander A.J. Cole (3-0, 2.78). John Sadak and Aaron Berlin will have the call on radio with the RailRiders pregame show will begin at 6:35 p.m. on NEPA Sports Radio - The GAME, Northeast PA's largest sports 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 swbrailriders.com.

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