Sunday FUNday: SWB hammers Lehigh Valley

MOOSIC, Pa. (August 4, 2019) -The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders clinched the series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs with a 12-5 win Sunday afternoon at PNC Field. The RailRiders took control in the third inning with home runs by Gosuke Katoh and Ryan McBroom and added six runs batted in from Erik Kratz to seal the victory.

In the top of the first inning, Lehigh Valley took the lead from a three-run home run by Deivy Grullon. Jonathan Loaisiga, on a rehab assignment, lasted only two outs, throwing 32 pitches and allowing the three runs. 
 
Katoh led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run to right to get the RailRiders on the board. Billy Burns walked and advanced to third later in the inning on an error by Malquin Canelo. Thairo Estrada brought him home on an RBI single, and McBroom nailed a two-run homer, putting the RailRiders ahead 4-3. 
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Kratz hit a three-run home run the opposite way to right, increasing the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lead to 7-3. 
 
The IronPigs scored two runs in the top of the seventh to cut the RailRiders lead to 7-5. In the bottom half, Kratz lifted a sac fly, scoring Tyler Wade. Three batters later, Katoh singled on a line drive to right field scoring two more runs for the RailRiders, bringing the advantage to 10-5. In the bottom of the eighth, Kratz smacked a two-run single to put Scranton/Wilkes-Barre up 12-5. The RailRiders catcher finished the game 2-for-4 and matched his career-high with six runs batted in.
 
Adonis Rosa (4-0) got the win in relief, turning in 5.1 innings in back of Loaisiga with four strikeouts and two walks. Ramon Rosso (1-2) took the loss for Lehigh Valley after surrendering the first seven runs, all earned on eight hits. Brady Lail and Kaleb Ort finished up the game by combining for three scoreless innings in the win.
All nine RailRiders reached base and seven of nine had at least one hit. Five players reached on multi-hit efforts, paced by four hits from Estrada and three from Katoh and Francisco Arcia. Katoh drove in three runs while McBroom plated a pair.
 
The RailRiders are off on Monday but play at home again on Tuesday to begin a new series against the Charlotte Knights. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.