Scoring is Fundamental: RailRiders win 10-8

SWB takes series finale vs. PawSox in front of school day crowd

Breyvic Valera homered and drove in three as the RailRiders bested Pawtucket 10-8 Thursday. (Tim Dougherty)

By Madonna Mantione

May 23, 2019

MOOSIC, Pa. (May 23, 2019) - On Thursday, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders entertained a sold-out, STEM School Day crowd of 10,000 fans at PNC Field with a 10-8 victory over the Pawtucket Red Sox. The RailRiders hit four home runs and held off a late PawSox rally to claim the series

MOOSIC, Pa. (May 23, 2019) - On Thursday, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders entertained a sold-out, STEM School Day crowd of 10,000 fans at PNC Field with a 10-8 victory over the Pawtucket Red Sox. The RailRiders hit four home runs and held off a late PawSox rally to claim the series two wins to one.

The PawSox scored a run in the top of the first to take the lead, but Trey Amburgey demolished a leadoff home run in the bottom of the inning to even the score at ones. Later in the inning, Mike Tauchman plated Mike Ford with an RBI groundout, giving the RailRiders a 2-1 lead.

In the second, Ryan McBroom hit his eighth home run of the year for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre; a two-run shot to left center putting the RailRiders on top 4-1.

Pawtucket got a run back in the top of the third against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter Brody Koerner. The right-hander threw five innings, allowing four runs on five hits, walking three and striking out three.

In the bottom of the third, Ryan Lavarnway sent one deep into the lawn in the right center for a three-run homer putting Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a 7-2 lead. Lavarnway has now reached base in 12 straight games.

Breyvic Valera led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run for the RailRiders giving them an 8-3 advantage. It was the fourth home run for Valera in nine games with SWB.

In the sixth, after Pawtucket scored a run on a passed ball, but Valera responded with a two-run single to extend the lead 10-4.
The PawSox added a run in the eighth and scored three more in the ninth off reliever David Sosebee, but JP Feyereisen was able to shut the door for his second save of the season.
Koerner (1-0) picked up the win while Josh Smith (1-2) took the loss. Valera paced the RailRiders with three hits and three runs batted in. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre was outhit 10-7, but claimed the series finale nonetheless.
The RailRiders travel to Syracuse on Friday to open a four-game weekend set against the Mets. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at NBT Bank Stadium.