RAILRIDERS IN ROUT

Parmelee Powers RailRiders in Rout

Ruth Shines, RailRiders Post Seventh Win in Eight Games

Louisville, Ky. – Chris Parmelee homered twice and drove in five runs as the SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) blew out the Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds) at Louisville Slugger Field on Thursday night, 9-1. The RailRiders (24-18) have won seven of eight to surge to a season-best five games above .500. The Bats (21-19) have lost seven of nine, dropping to 8-11 at home.

SWB hung five on the board in the first inning against starter Josh Smith. Nick Swisher singled home the first run while Parmelee crushed a grand slam to right for the comfortable cushion.

In the second, Jake Cave singled home Jonathan Diaz. Swisher belted a two-run homer to right in the fourth and Parmelee sparked the fifth with a solo shot to right.

Louisville’s lone run came in the second when Steve Selsky and Seth Mejias-Brean each doubled.

SWB starter Eric Ruth (2-0) gave up just four hits and issued a single walk while whiffing five over 7.2 innings for his second win in as many Triple-A starts this year. Smith (3-4) surrendered six runs on six hits and two walks over two innings. Reliever Johnny Barbato issued a walk and retired the other four he faced to end the night for the RailRiders.

The road trip shifts to Indianapolis for a three-game set against the Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates). It gets underway at 7:15 p.m. on Friday night as SWB’s Dietrich Enns (1-0, 0.00) faces recently-demoted fellow southpaw Kyle Lobstein (2-0, 4.79 – MLB).

The RailRiders return home for a short three-game series and homestand against Louisville on Tuesday, May 24 at 6:35 p.m. The $2 Twosday features $2 lawn seats (walk-up only), $2 tacos and $2 tall boy beers. For tickets or more information, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.

OFF THE RAILS:

Chris Parmelee finished the game 2-for-4 with five RBIs, a walk and two runs scored. It marked his first multi-homer game in the minors since May 4, 2014, also against Louisville while he was with Rochester. He has six multi-homer games in the minors and two in the big leagues. He had not posted five or more RBIs in an MiLB game since that same contest against Louisville nearly exactly two years ago.

The RailRiders did not have an extra-base hit with the bases loaded until Wednesday when Ben Gamel doubled in the opening victory of the doubleheader. Parmelee’s grand slam was the team’s first since Gamel launched one off Pawtucket’s Edwin Escobar at McCoy Stadium on July 2, 2015.

The RailRiders nearly had as many homers (3) as the Bats did base hits (4).

Gary Sanchez entered the game in a 1-for-11 funk since his one-game stay with the big club. He finished the night 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored.

Nick Swisher entered the game hitting .173 as a left-handed hitter. The switch-hitter finished the game 2-for-4 with his fourth home run, three RBIs, a walk and two runs scored. Each of his plate appearances on Thursday came as a left-handed hitter. All of his four homers on the season have been hit as lefty batter.

Jake Cave, who was not in the original lineup, went 3-for-4 with a triple, an RBI, a walk and a run scored. Including his time at Double-A Trenton to start the season, Cave has five triples in 36 games played this season.