RAILRIDERS LOSE FINALS OPENER

Bulls Take Finals Opener

Mason Williams Posts Two Hits

Durham, N.C. – The SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) fell behind early and dropped Game 1 of the Governors’ Cup Finals to the host Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays) on Tuesday night, 6-0. Three Durham hurlers combined to face just two over the minimum, twirling a three-hitter.

The RailRiders’ best scoring chances came at the game’s start with back-to-back game-opening hits from Mason Williams and Donovan Solano. Thereafter, Billy McKinney struck out swinging and Miguel Andujar bounced into an inning-ending double play.

In the home half of the first, four consecutive one-out singles, two on the infield, a Ronald Herrera (0-1) wild pitch, and a run-scoring groundout put Durham on top, 3-0. Patrick Leonard and Shane Peterson each registered an RBI in the frame. In the second, Justin Williams doubled Herrera’s first pitch of the inning into the left-field corner and later scored on a two-out base hit by Kean Wong for a 4-0 margin.

The RailRiders would place just two other men on base all night. Garrett Cooper reached via a two-out bruise in the second and Mason Williams registered an infield single in the sixth before he was caught stealing.

Durham tacked on two insurance scores with Mike McHenry’s two-out single in the sixth.

The win went to Bulls starter Ryan Yarbrough (1-0). He fired seven innings of three-hit ball, whiffing four. Mike Broadway and Jeff Ames each recorded a perfect inning thereafter.

The best-of-five Governors’ Cup Finals continue at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. SWB’s Domingo German is slated to face fellow right-hander, Yonny Chirinos.

The RailRiders’ first home game of the finals will be on Thursday, Sept. 14 at 6:35 p.m. and playoff tickets are on sale now. For tickets or more information, please call (570) 969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com. The RailRiders’ PNC Field will also host the Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game on Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 7:07 p.m.

OFF THE RAILS:

Tuesday marked the SWB franchise’s first shutout loss in postseason play since Sept. 10, 2010 when the Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Indians) blanked the then-SWB Yankees, 1-0. That loss came in Game 3 of the first-round set. The Clippers would claim Game 4 the next day, 11-5, and went on to take the Governors’ Cup. Columbus beat Durham in that year’s finals in four games, outscoring the Bulls, 38-9, including a 13-2 clincher in Game 4.

Durham pitching retired the last 10 in a row to end the game.

The RailRiders went 0-for-2 with men in scoring position, both in the first inning. Durham finished 4-for-15 with men in prime real estate.

Mason Williams went 2-for-4 and Donovan Solano finished 1-for-4. The rest of the lineup went 0-for-20.

The Durham pitching staff did not issue a walk on Tuesday night.

Domingo German started a team shutout win at Durham in the final regular-season meeting between the teams on Aug. 20. He struck out nine over seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball that Sunday afternoon in Moosic.

The Bulls co-led the IL in shutout wins on the regular season with Pawtucket. Each team recorded 18 blankings.

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (Best of Five)

G1 Tue. Sept. 12 at Durham – DUR 6, SWB 0

G2 Wed. Sept. 13 at Durham 6:35 p.m.

G3 Thu. Sept. 14 vs. Durham 6:35p         

*G4 Fri. Sept. 15 vs. Durham 6:35p         

*G5 Sat. Sept. 16 vs. Durham 4:05p       

*-If Necessary

GILDAN TRIPLE-A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (PNC Field – Moosic, Pa.)

NCG Tue. Sept. 19 7:07p (IL Champion vs. PCL Champion)