PAWTUCKET RED SOX (15-25) @ SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE RAILRIDERS (21-18)

RHP Mike Shawaryn (1-2, 2.81) vs. RHP David Hale (3-1, 4.11)

|  Game No. 40  |  PNC Field  |  Moosic, PA  |  May 21, 2019  |  First Pitch 6:35 p.m.  |

TOLEDO, OH (May 19, 2019) -- Sunday’s forecast called for rain, and it held off until the 8th inning – but by then the Toledo Mud Hens had grabbed a go-ahead run to knock off the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 4-3 in a rain-shortened series finale at Fifth Third Field.
The RailRiders fought back after falling behind 3-1 in the 3rd inning, but after entering the bottom of the 7th inning tied, the Mud Hens plated the winning run. Rex Brothers entered the game out of the bullpen for SWB in back of starting pitcher Daniel Camarena, but immediately ran into trouble. The inning began with a single by Dustin Peterson, who advanced to second base when Mikie Mahtook followed with a walk. Two batters later, Brothers issued another walk to Pete Kozma to load the bases with one out.
The first pitch to the next batter, Danny Woodruff, was looped in the air to shallow right-centerfield and Billy Burns streaked over to make the catch, but wasn’t able to fire to the plate and retire Peterson who scored. Toledo led 4-3, and a half inning later the game was called due to rain. 
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre grabbed the game’s first run in the top of the 1st inning with an RBI single by Ryan Lavarnway to score Mike Tauchman for the lead before Camarena (6.0 IP, 5 H, 3R/3ER, BB, 4 K) threw a pitch. In the third inning, Jeimer Candelario homered off the back netting in left field which protects the street beyond the ballpark to give Toledo a 3-1 lead. That lead held until the 6th when Breyvic Valera cracked a game-tying homer – his second homer in six games with SWB.
WHAT A STRETCH: Early in the season, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders had their schedule broken up by a handful of postponements and suspensions due to weather -- seven over the first five weeks of the season. Though many of the games were made up the following day, its getting time to pay the piper over the next few weeks. Following Monday’s day-off, the RailRiders begin a stretch Tuesday night against the Pawtucket Red Sox that features 23 games over 20 days before their next scheduled off day. All 23 games come against each of their five IL North Division rivals.
HOLD YOUR HORSES: The RailRiders got out of the gate by stealing 21 bases in the month of April (22G) and was caught only three times (87.5%). It was the best efficiency rate in the league in the month, and they were tied for the fourth-most steals. May has been a different story with the team stealing only 11 bases (T-8th, IL) and caught six times (64.7%).
MAY-BE THEY’RE CATCHING ON: In the month of May, the RailRiders have received outstanding offensive contributions from their catchers. Both Kyle Higashioka (10G dating to 5/1) and Ryan Lavarnway (11G dating to 4/25) enter Tuesday’s game against the Mud Hens with significant on-base streaks. In the month of May, the two catchers have combined to reach safely in all 17G: 20-for-55 (.364 AVG), 3 2B, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 14 BB, 2 HBP (.507 OBP)
TRUCKING AT THE TOP: INF Mike Ford had never batted leadoff in his career, but has now done so seven times in the last dozen games for the RailRiders. In those seven games he has reached base safely to begin the game six-of-seven times with two singles, a double, a homer and two walks. In 21G this season, Ford has an OBP of .447 which is tops on the team among players who have played +5G (Kyle Higashioka, .420 OBP in 17G).