CORTES PERFECT IN VICTORY

Cortes Perfect in RailRiders’ Victory

SWB Earns First Sweep in Charlotte Since 2013

Charlotte, N.C. – The SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) held off the Charlotte Knights to win 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at BB&T Ballpark. The RailRiders (68-39) finished their road trip 5-2 and earned the franchise’s first sweep in Charlotte since 2013. SWB also wraps up a 5-2 record against the Knights (45-62).

Left-hander Nestor Cortes was called up from Double-A Trenton to make the evening start and finished just shy of five perfect innings. Cortes no-hit the Knights for 4.2 frames and struck out seven. His outing concluded with five consecutive strikeouts.

The RailRiders struck for three runs off Lucas Giolito (4-10). Cito Culver smashed his 10th homer of the year out to left in the fifth and scored Ji-Man Choi for a 2-0 lead. Jake Cave stroked a triple to left-center in the sixth and came across on a sacrifice fly by Mike Ford and a 3-0 advantage. Giolito hurled seven innings in all, allowing five hits, three walks and struck out two.

Joe Mantiply (5-4) held the Knights to an unearned run on two hits over two innings in relief for the win. Giovanny Gallegos needed only nine pitches to strikeout the side in the ninth for his third save.

OFF THE RAILS:

-Billy McKinney doubled as part of a 1-for-4 night. He finished the three-game series 8-for-13 (.615) with two doubles, two triples, two homers, eight RBI and seven runs scored.

-Jake Cave went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 15 games.

-Cito Culver’s fifth-inning home run was his 10th of the year. The RailRiders now have five hitters with 10+ round-trippers on the year: Choi (10), Frazier (12), Cave (12) and Fowler (13)

-Four SWB pitchers combined to strikeout 12 nights. The RailRiders’ staff finished with 85 strikeouts on the seven-game road trip, or 12.1 strikeouts per game.

The 2016 Gildan Triple-A National Champion RailRiders return home on Tuesday, August 1, for a series opener against the Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Every Tuesday home game at PNC Field is Two-Dollar Tuesday, with $2 lawn seats and $2 tallboys, presented by La Tolteca. For tickets or more information, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.