Sunday, July 30, 2017

RAILRIDERS CLUB KNIGHTS 8-1


RailRiders Club Knights, 8-1
Team Effort Smothers Knights

Charlotte, N.C. – The SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) got production from just about everywhere in an 8-1 smothering of the Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox) on Saturday. The RailRiders (67-39) secured their first season series victory over Charlotte since 2013 while the Knights (45-61) dropped a series to SWB at BB&T Ballpark for the first time. It opened in 2014.

Jake Cave got SWB on the board with a first-inning solo homer halfway up the batter’s eye. Jake Peter’s run-scoring groundout tied the game in the third before a three-run fourth gave SWB the lead the rest of the way. Donovan Solano doubled in a pair of runs that frame and Ji-Man Choi added an RBI groundout.

Two-run homers by Billy McKinney in the sixth and Choi in the eighth rounded out the scoring.

SWB starter Domingo German (3-1) tossed 5.2 innings of three-hit ball for the win. He walked one and whiffed five on 76 pitches (49 strikes) in his longest outing at any level since June 5.

Charlotte’s Carson Fulmer (7-7) took the loss. He gave up six runs on nine hits (two homers) and one walk over six innings.

The three-game series concludes at 5:05 p.m. on Saturday. SWB southpaw Dietrich Enns (1-1, 2.29) is slated to face right-hander Lucas Giolito (4-9, 5.02).

The RailRiders return home on Tuesday, Aug. 1 to open a six-game homestand. It starts with the first of three against the Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays) at 7:05 p.m. The Two Dollar Tuesday presented by La Tolteca means $2 lawn tickets and $2 tallboys every Tuesday during the 2017 season. For tickets or more information, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.

OFF THE RAILS:
Miguel Andujar went 2-for-4 with a double, a bruise and a run scored. He has hit safely in 15 straight games, the IL’s best active run, going 24-for-60 (.400) in the process. His streak has lifted his Triple-A average by 75 points from .255-.330. His 68 overall RBIs between Double-A and Triple-A lead the Yankees’ farm.

Jake Cave‘s homer extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Cave has 12 home runs with SWB and 17 between Double-A and Triple-A on the year, tying Ford for the most on the Yankees’ farm in 2017.

Ji-Man Choi homered, his 10th at Triple-A this season, and drove in three runs. He became the fourth RailRider with double-digit homers on the season.

Billy McKinney finished the game 3-for-4 with a homer, two RBIs, a walk and three runs scored.

Mike Ford singled, walked and scored twice.

Relievers Nick Rumbelow and Ben Heller tossed a combined 3.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts and no walks.

The RailRiders are 7-0 in Rumbelow’s seven outings. Over 13 innings, he has allowed six hits and no runs, walking four and whiffing 14. The IL is hitting .136 against him.

SWB hurlers posted nine more strikeouts on Saturday. The staff has recorded 73 strikeouts through six games on the road trip.

SWB owns the IL’s best record both overall (67-39) and on the road (34-21).

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