WINSday: RailRiders top PawSox 8-6

MOOSIC, Pa. (May 22, 2019) - The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders beat the Pawtucket Red Sox 8-6 Wednesday night at PNC Field. Kyle Higashioka homered and drove in four and Trey Amburgey went 4-for-5 with a three-run homer to pace the offense.

MOOSIC, Pa. (May 22, 2019) - The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders beat the Pawtucket Red Sox 8-6 Wednesday night at PNC Field. Kyle Higashioka homered and drove in four and Trey Amburgey went 4-for-5 with a three-run homer to pace the offense.
 
The PawSox started the game off with back-to-back singles against Raynel Espinal, including one by Major League rehabber Brock Holt. Dustin Pedroia, also with Pawtucket on a rehab assignment, grounded into a fielder's choice. As Tyler Wade threw home to cut down the lead runner at the plate. With the bases loaded and one out, Rusney Castillo hit a pop up to Gosuke Katoh in shallow right. As an infield fly was called, Holt attempted to tag and score, but Katoh threw him out at the plate to keep the game scoreless.
 
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre took the lead in the bottom of the second inning when Ryan McBroom scored on a sac fly from Billy Burns for a 1-0 advantage. The RailRiders doubled their lead in the third as Higashioka reached on an infield single that allowed Amburgey to score.
 
Higashioka launched a three-run homer to center in the fifth off PawSox starting pitcher Matthew Kent, increasing the RailRiders lead to 5-0. 
 
Pawtucket broke up the shutout bid in the top of the sixth inning. Pinch hitter Bryce Brentz doubled in Sam Travis to cut the deficit to four. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre answered with a home run knocked out of the park by Amburgey to close out the inning 8-1. It was Amburgey's fourth home run of the season; three of which have come at PNC Field.
 
Brentz hit a grand slam for Pawtucket at the top of the eighth to cut the RailRiders lead to 8-5. 
 
Sam Travis grounded into a force out in the top of the ninth, plating an additional tally on the board for the PawSox to cap the scoring.
 
Espinal worked four shutout innings in his fifth start of the season, allowing four hits while striking out five and walking three in a no-decision. Steven Tarpley picked up the win and improves to 3-0 on the season and Joe Harvey pitched the final inning and two-thirds for his second save. Kent (0-2) took the loss for Pawtucket. 
 
The RailRiders will play the series finale Thursday morning against Pawtucket. First pitch is scheduled for 10:35 a.m. For tickets and more information, call (570) 969-BALL or slide to www.swbrailriders.com/tickets.