RRAILRIDERS WIN IL NORTH TITLE

Long Ball Carries RailRiders to IL North Title

SWB Clinches Third Straight Division Championship

Moosic, Pa. – The SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/ New York Yankees) belted three homers and got a strong start from Bryan Mitchell to clinch the International League North Division with a 5-3 win over the Rochester Red Wings. The RailRIders (84-50) grabbed their third consecutive division crown and the franchise’s ninth in 12 seasons. The Red Wings slipped to 77-58, but are still in command of the circuit’s wildcard spot.

Mitchell (3-3) hurled four scoreless frames as the RailRiders built a 5-0 advantage. He surrendered two runs in the fifth. The right-hander yielded four hits, walked one and struck out four. Nick Rumbelow held the Red Wings to one hit over the final 2.1 innings to notch his fifth save. He struck out two.

 

SWB scored five runs on seven hits, including three homers, off the Red Wings’ Felix Jorge (0-1). Jake Cave put the RailRiders on the board in the first inning by launching a towering fly onto the RailHouse roof beyond right. The round-tripper was his 15th at Triple-A.

 

Leading 1-0 in the second, Mason Williams padded the lead by lining his second homer of the year over the right field fence. Eddy Rodriguez doubled and scored on a Cave single in the third for a 3-0 lead. Cito Culver demolished a 3-0 pitch 420 feet to left in the fourth, scoring Williams, for a 5-0 cushion. The shot hit the upper third of the elevated signage over left field.

 

The 2017 IL North Division Champion RailRiders continue their series with the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins) on Tuesday, August 29 at 7:05 p.m. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery (0-0, 3.00) gets the nod. Every Tuesday home game at PNC Field is Two Dollar Tuesday, presented by La Tolteca! For tickets or more information, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.