Syracuse, N.Y. – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) added to their July win total by completing a suspended game from July 12 with the Syracuse Chiefs (Washington Nationals). The RailRiders completed the suspended game with a 7-6 walk-off win, but SWB fell in the regularly scheduled contest, 3-2.
The two squads picked up the July 12 suspended game in the top of the 12th inning. The RailRiders played as the home team since the game was suspended at PNC Field. Neither team scored in the 12th, but SWB walked off in the 13th. Melky Mesa began the rally when he drew a one-out walk. Mesa then stole second base, and moved to third on an infield single by Brendan Harris. That setup Alberto Gonzalez, who blooped a single to left field to plate Mesa, and give SWB the suspended game win.
The victory was short-lived, as the RailRiders dropped the regularly scheduled game later on, 3-2. The game got off to a fast start for Syracuse, as Eury Perez led off the bottom of the first with a double. He moved to third base on a single by Jeff Kobernus, and scored when Tyler Moore hit a sacrifice fly to right field.
The RailRiders grabbed the lead in the top of the third. With one out, Harris smacked a single to right field. Mesa followed with a two-run blast to left-center field that gave SWB the 2-1 advantage. It was Mesa’s 10th home run of the season, and his first in a RailRider uniform since June 11.
The lead would not last long, as the Chiefs went in front for good with a pair of runs in the fourth. With two outs, Corey Brown began the rally with a base hit. Zach Walters then singled up the middle to move Brown to third. Jhonatan Solano followed with a base hit to right field that plated Brown, and advanced Walters to second base. Josh Johnson capped the inning with a single that scored Walters, but Solano was thrown out at home to end the inning.
The out at home would not matter, as Yunesky Maya (7-7) turned in a gem. He went eight innings, and allowed just two runs on five hits. He did not walk a batter, and struck out five. Erik Davis worked a routine ninth inning to earn his 12th save of the season.
SWB starter David Huff (1-5) allowed three runs over five innings of work, and picked up the loss. He struck out six without walking a batter, as Yoshinori Tateyama and Sam Demel combined to throw three scoreless innings in relief.
The RailRiders will wrap-up their season series with the Chiefs on Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m., as Caleb Cotham (3-5, 6.26) will take the mound for SWB. Cotham is looking to build upon his last outing when he worked into the seventh inning against Indianapolis. Pre-game coverage will get underway at 6:30 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.
- SWB RailRiders – All Aboard! -
