Friday, August 11, 2017

RAILRIDERS WIN OVER DURHAM, 6-2

Austin, McKinney Homer to Tie Series
SWB Deadlocks Set in Battle of IL’s Best

Durham, N.C. – The SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) did a bit of everything in bouncing back for a 6-2 win over the host Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays) on Friday night in a battle of the IL’s two best teams. The RailRiders (76-42) posted their seventh win in eight games both overall and on the road while the Bulls (72-46) fell for the fifth time in eight affairs.

Run-scoring hits by Miguel Andujar and Billy McKinney put SWB on top 2-0 in the third. Tyler Austin expanded the advantage with an impressive two-run homer to straightaway center field in the fifth off starter Ryan Yarbrough (12-6).

Durham plated its runs in the home fifth off starter Chance Adams. Taylor Featherston began the inning with a homer to right. Two outs later, Kean Wong reached on an Andujar error and then scored on an RBI double from Willy Adames.

Billy McKinney launched a two-run homer to right in the seventh to round out the scoring.

Nick Rumbelow logged three scoreless innings to post his third save.

The four-game series continues at 6:35 p.m. on Saturday night. SWB is slated to start right-hander Brady Lail (5-4, 5.23) against southpaw Michael Roth (2-4, 4.99). The RailRiders return home on Tuesday, Aug. 15 to host the Gwinnett Braves (Atlanta Braves) at 7:05 p.m. The Two Dollar Tuesday sports $2 lawn tickets and $2 tallboys, available every Tuesday during the 2017 season. For tickets or more information, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.

OFF THE RAILS:
Chance Adams logged his fifth straight quality start and his 10th overall in 17 nods at Triple-A. He gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits and one walk over six frames.

Before the game, the New York Yankees returned Tyler Austin from his rehab assignment, reinstated him from the 10-day DL and optioned him to SWB. Over his seven-game rehab he posted five hits, hitting .217. In his first game with the rehab concluded, he went 3-for-5 with a homer, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Billy McKinney posted a 2-for-5 night with a double, a homer and three RBIs. The homer was his 10th of the season giving SWB six different players with double-digit homers on the season.

Mason Williams went 2-for-5 with a run scored.

Nick Rumbelow recorded three scoreless frames. He allowed two hits, walked none and whiffed four. He has yet to allow a run in 20.1 innings at Triple-A this season. Over that time he has walked five, struck out 20 and the IL has gone 11-for-70 (.157) against him.

Miguel Andujar finished 1-for-4 with an RBI, a walk and a run scored.

Andujar’s error snapped the RailRiders’ longest error-free run of the season at 10 games.

Jake Cave went 1-for-4 with a ground-rule double. He also made a number of difficult grabs on the run center field.

The RailRiders need to go 16-7 over their final 23 games to break the franchise’s single-season wins record of 91 set by the 2002 Red Barons and tied by the 2016 RailRiders. If this year’s club reaches 91 victories to tie the win mark, it would break the single-season franchise record for winning percentage set by last year’s team (91-52, .636).

SWB manager Al Pedrique celebrated his birthday on Friday with his 167th win in two seasons as the manager of the RailRiders.

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