Records Fall as RailRiders Roll
Louisville, Ky. - Coming off a 1-3 homestand that saw them score six runs, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) pounded out 24 hits in a 15-8 record-setting rout of the Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds) on Memorial Day. The RailRiders (25-24) posted their biggest come-from-behind win of the season and assembled the highest hit total ever allowed by Louisville (24-26). It made for the SWB franchise's highest hit total in the Yankees' era and third-highest of all-time.
Down 5-1 after one inning, the RailRiders hung a run on the board in each of the first six innings with at least three hits in each frame. Louisville's all-time wins leader, Matt Maloney, failed to get through the third inning in his first affiliated outing of the season. Signed in recent days from the independent ranks, Maloney (0-1) gave up six runs (two earned) on 10 hits in 2.2 innings. His counterpart, Shane Greene (2-2), survived a five-run, six-hit first inning to pick up his second straight Triple-A triumph.
All nine men in the RailRiders lineup finished with a hit and eight enjoyed multi-hit showings. The crazy offensive sported a 4-for-6 day for Zelous Wheeler who homered and drove in three runs. Ramon Flores homered twice and scored four times as he went 3-for-6 and Kyle Roller reached safely in all six of his plate appearances, going 4-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI, two walks and two runs scored.
Louisville used five pitchers in the game. Relievers Chad Reineke and Lee Hyde each allowed four hits and a combined seven runs over their collective 2.1 innings.
The RailRiders continue their eight-game road trip with game two of the Louisville series on Tuesday, May 27 at 6:35 p.m. SWB will toss right-hander Bruce Billings (3-1, 2.74) against right-hander Josh Smith (6-1, 3.16). John Sadak and Aaron Berlin will have the call on radio with the pregame show beginning at 6:05 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.
OFF THE RAILS:
The SWB franchise record for hits in a game is 27, delivered by the Red Barons at Toledo on May 31, 1998. The second-highest total also came at Toledo with 26 on June 19, 1993.
Adonis Garcia snapped an 0-for-18 funk with his first of two hits in the fourth inning.
Ramon Flores became the second RailRider to homer twice in a game this season. Current New York Yankee Zoilo Almonte did so at Buffalo in the nightcap of an April 17 doubleheader.
The RailRiders' season-long team batting average shot up seven points (.255-.262) based on their 49th game of the season.
Before the game, the New York Yankees announced that SWB right-hander Branden Pinder was placed on the disabled list.
The RailRiders have won a season-best four straight road games.
SWB went 11-for-24 with runners in scoring position and walked a season-high-tying seven times.
Louisville fell to 24-26 and 6-15 against the IL North. The Bats are 18-11 (.621) against teams in the West and South.
The 15 runs scored fell a tally short of the squad's most explosive game this season. The high-water mark came in a 16-2 annihilation of the Tides at Norfolk on May 4.
The Louisville franchise had not allowed 24 hits in a game in its Triple-A history going back to the 1982 season.
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