RailRiders get past IronPigs, 7-5

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The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 7-5 on Friday night at PNC Field. T

hree homers from three different RailRiders powered SWB to victory.

The RailRiders blasted two home runs in the bottom of the second to take a three-run lead. Agustin Ramirez, the New York Yankees 20th-ranked prospect, launched his third Triple-A home run into center field for the first run of the game. With one out, Oscar González singled and Taylor Trammell followed with a two-run, 428-foot bomb that gave SWB a 3-0 advantage.

Lehigh Valley tied the game in the top of the third and chased MLB rehabber J.T. Brubaker from the game. With two outs, Darick Hall singled in Weston Wilson and Ruben Cardenas’s two-run homer made it 3-3. Duane Underwood Jr. came on in relief, striking out the final batter to end the inning.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre took the lead back in the bottom of the third. Jorbit Vivas made it 4-3 with a solo shot to left; the 411-foot smash was his fourth homer of the year.

The IronPigs squared it up in the top of the fifth off MLB rehabber Scott Effross. Nick Podkul plated Buddy Kennedy to knot the game at four.

In the top of the sixth, Oddanier Mosqueda worked out of a bases-loaded jam to keep the score even.

The RailRiders broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth. After Carlos Narvaez walked, González doubled him home to put SWB up 5-4.

In the bottom of the seventh, the RailRiders claimed a two-run lead. Kevin Smith led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and moved to third on a Brandon Lockridge sacrifice bunt. With one out, Vivas singled on the first offering he saw from IronPig’s reliever Jonah Dipoto, making it 6-4.

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Taylor Trammell doubled and raced to third on a wild pitch. An infield single from Jeter Downs scored Trammell, giving the RailRiders a 7-4 lead.

In the top of the ninth, Cardenas walked and pinch hitter Jim Haley singled to put the tying run aboard. Cody Roberts singled, making it 7-5, but SWB pitcher Victor González (S,1) struck out Cal Stevenson to shut the door.

In his first appearance with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Brubaker tossed 2.2 innings, allowing three runs on two hits while walking five. Mosqueda (W, 5-0) pitched 1.0 innings giving up no runs and one hit. Andrew Bellatti (L, 2-1) worked one inning, surrendering one run on one hit.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre concludes their series with Lehigh Valley on Saturday at PNC Field. The RailRiders will send Will Warren to the mound to face the IronPigs’ Kolby Allard. The first pitch is slated for 6:05 p.m. Tickets are available www.swbrailriders.com.