RIDERS AVOID SWEEP

Bird Collects Two Hits, ‘Riders Avoid Sweep

Greg Bird Finishes 2-for-4 with RBI in Second Game of Rehab

Moosic, Pa. – The SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) edged the Gwinnett Braves, 5-4, to clinch a winning record against Atlanta’s top affiliate on Thursday night at PNC Field. The RailRiders (78-45) finished 4-2 against the Braves (61-61) and shrunk the magic number to clinch the IL North Division to 11 games in the process.

Starter Brady Lail (6-4) worked around three solo home runs to keep SWB close. He ultimately allowed four runs on six hits over 6.1 innings. Lail struck out six without walking a batter. The RailRiders got to Gwinnett’s right-hander Aaron Blair (7-7) in the fifth inning. He allowed five runs off nine hits in his five innings. Ben Heller struck out two in a scoreless ninth for his sixth save.

Trailing 3-1, Mark Payton began the decisive rally with a walk to open the fifth. Eddy Rodriguez threaded the middle infielders on a single to center and Donovan Solano snuck a hit into right field. With the bags full, Greg Bird smashed his first hit of the night to center, scoring Payton. Ji-Man Choi then clubbed a two-run double deep to left that scored two for a 4-3 lead. Mason Williams followed with a bunt hit to first that brought in Bird for a 5-3 edge.

-- Greg Bird finished the night 2-for-4 with an RBI and is 2-for-6 on the rehab assignment. He played all nine innings as designated hitter.

-- Jake Cave launched his 14th homer of the year on a towering fly down the left field line. Cave has 19 combined round-trippers between Double-A Trenton and SWB.

-- Donovan Solano, Mason Williams, and Ji-Man Choi eached finished with two hits.

-- Ben Heller walked one and struck out two in a scoreless inning. The right-hander has strung together nine scoreless innings over his last seven appearances with one hit, one walk and 19 strikeouts.

The 2016 Gildan Triple-A National Champion RailRiders welcome the Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays) to PNC Field for the first of three on Friday, August 18 at 7:05 p.m. Left-hander Nestor Cortes (1-2, 0.98) will start for SWB. Every Friday night home game at PNC Field is “Glow in the Park Night!” Also, as part of “Superhero Night,” be one of the first 2,500 through the gates to receive a Clint Frazier “Human Torch” bobblehead, presented by T.J. Maxx! Then stay for the postgame fireworks show, presented by King’s College! For tickets or more information, please call570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.