Wild Finish: RailRiders clip Wings 6-4

*ROCHESTER, N.Y. (September 30, 2021) *– A four-run outburst in the top of the ninth inning propelled the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders to a 6-4 victory over the Rochester Red Wings on Thursday night at Frontier Field.

The Red Wings took the lead in the bottom of the first inning when Raudy Read hit a three-run home run against Clarke Schmidt after a two-out error extended the inning.

Schmidt settled down after that to turn in one of his best outings of the season, walking one, striking out four and allowing three hits while completing 6.0 innings of work for the first time since 2019. Only two Rochester batters reached base against Schmidt after Read’s home run.

The RailRiders chipped away in the top of the third when MLB rehabber Miguel Andujar launched a two-run home run off Ben Braymer to cut the deficit to 3-2. It was Andujar’s fourth home run with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, and his first since the opening series of the season at Syracuse.

SWB stranded runners in scoring position in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, and had runners on base in every inning, but could not muster anything until the ninth inning. Meanwhile, Brody Koerner and Ron Marinaccio combined to strike out five batters in the seventh and eighth in relief of Schmidt.

Brandon Wagner drew a one-out walk in the top of the ninth, and pinch runner Greg Allen stole second and third. With two outs and runners on the corners after a walk to Miguel Andujar, Oswaldo Cabrera delivered an RBI single to tie the game. Ryan LaMarre followed with a two-run double to center to give the RailRiders the lead. LaMarre came home when Trey Amburgey reached on an error to extend the lead to 6-3.

Ryan LaMarre gives us LaLead in the 🔝 of the ninth! pic.twitter.com/0ktnvIhO4I

— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) October 1, 2021

In the bottom of the ninth, Daniel Palka greeted Marinaccio (1-0) with a leadoff home run to cut the lead to 6-4. After Jake Noll flied out to center, Mike Ford doubled and Raudy Read singled to bring the winning run to the plate with one out. However, Marinaccio was able to retire the next two batters to close out the win.

POSTGAME NOTES: With the win, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre improved its record to 4-3 during Triple-A’s “Final Stretch”… Andjuar’s home run was the team’s ninth during the Final Stretch, raising Minor League Baseball’s pledge to Wyoming Valley Challenger Baseball to $450 as part of its “Homers that Help” initiative.

The RailRiders continue their series with the Rochester Red Wings on Friday night at Frontier Field. LHP JP Sears (6-0, 2.64) takes the ball for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, while RHP Joan Adon (0-0, 0.00) gets the call for Rochester. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., with coverage on the RailRiders Baseball Network at 5:45.