SYRACUSE-SCRANTON GAME NOTES

SYRACUSE CHIEFS (0-1) vs. SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE RAILRIDERS (1-0)

Game 2  |  April 7, 2018  |  PNC Field  |  Moosic, PA

Radio: The Game 1440 - swbrailriders.com        Airtime: 3:35 P.M.

PITCHING MATCH-UP

LH Tommy Milone (No Record) vs. LH Josh Rogers (No Record)

Milone: Made 17 appearances for two MLB clubs in 2017 (1-3, 7.63 ERA for MIL & NYM)

Rogers: Started 15 games between Tampa & Trenton (8-5 combined with a 3.24 ERA)

LEADING OFF:  The RailRiders rallied from a 5-1 deficit on Friday night to beat the Syracuse Chiefs the season opener 6-5 on a walk-off home run by Abiatal Avelino.  The Chiefs plated four against Chance Adams in the second innings and added a run in the top of the fourth to extend their edge.  Kyle Higashioka drilled a home run to left in the bottom of the fourth to put SWB on the board.  In the bottom of the ninth, Cody Asche doubled and scored on a base hit by Zack Zehner.  A sac fly drove in Higashioka to cut the deficit to two.  Avelino drove a 3-2 pitch from Chris Smith over the right field wall for the walk-off victory.

MOVING DAY: Luis Cessa and Domingo German were recalled by the Yankees earlier today and Jace Peterson signed a Major League deal and was selected by New York.  To fill part of the void, pitcher Jonathan Holder was optioned to the RailRiders and Daniel Camarena was transferred from Extended Spring Training.  The team enters play today with 24 men on the active roster.

RISPY BUSINESS: The RailRiders didn’t take a single turn at bat with a runner in scoring position until the ninth inning of Friday’s game when Cody Asche doubled to lead off the frame. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre proceeded to collect two hits with runners in scoring position in the inning, including an RBI single for Zack Zehner and Abiatal Avelino’s walk off three-run home run.

NEW YEAR, NEW ME: Trailing by four runs heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, the RailRiders accomplished a rare feat in Friday’s 6-5 win. In 2017, the club was just 4-44 (.083) when trailing after eight innings. Skipper Bobby Mitchell guided Double-A Trenton to just a 1-32 (.030) record in such instances.

LONG TIME GONE:  Friday night was the first MiLB appearance for Oliver Perez since 6/13/2012 when he pitched for the Tacoma Rainiers (Triple-A, Seattle Mariners). Since that last appearance he had pitched in 346 games for the Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros and Washington Nationals with an 11-17 record and a 3.74 ERA. He struck out 310 batters in 255.1 IP (10.9 K/9).

STARTING SPOT: Josh Rogers will step into the RailRiders rotation today, replacing Luis Cessa. Rogers has made 44 appearances in his career, including 39 starts, since being drafted out of Louisville in 2015.

HIGH END TALENT: The initial RailRiders roster includes two of the top ten prospects in the Yankees system, according to Baseball America.  Infielder Gleyber Torres is ranked first overall by BA while starting pitcher Chance Adams is fourth.  Domingo German (16) and Cody Carroll (30) are also highly rated by the publication.  14 players saw game action for the RailRiders in 2017 and five are new to the organization.  Baseball America had the Yankees system ranked second overall across baseball entering the 2018 season.

TAKING CHARGE: Bobby Mitchell takes over as manager for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. In Mitchell’s last two seasons at the helm of the Double-A Trenton Thunder, the Thunder won 87 and 92 games respectively (185-103, .642), led the team to a berth in the Eastern League Championship series each year and was named 2017 Eastern League Manager of the Year. Mitchell appeared in 202 major league games over four seasons with the Dodgers and Minnesota Twins. He was a regular part of the outfield rotation for the Dodgers on their 1981 World Series Championship team.

OFF THE RAILS: Former manager Al Pedrique is now the first base coach for the Oakland A’s while former hitting coach P.J. Pilittere is a co-hitting coach for the Yankees... Catcher Erik Kratz is a Pennsylvania native. He grew up in Telford, which is located 91 miles from Moosic... The RailRiders have won the IL North in each of the last three seasons.

AROUND THE ORGANIZATION: The New York Yankees fell to the Baltimore Orioles 7-3 in 14 innings as Didi Gregorious connected for his third home run of the season… Justus Sheffield walked six batters in his first start of the season as Trenton dropped a 5-2 contest to Richmond…Estevan Florial hit his first homer of the season for Tampa in a 6-5 loss at Lakeland… Charleston dropped its second in a row to Lexington 5-2.

ON THE AIR:  Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders games can be heard on The Game 1400 AM, 1440 AM, 106.7 FM, 1340 AM and 100.7 FM throughout NEPA, online at swbrailriders.com and on RadioBold and TuneIn Radio Apps. Adam Marco and Adam Giardino will provide the call.  All games are carried on MiLB.tv as well.