SCRANTON 9 - GWINNETT 3

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE

RAILRIDERS

GAME REPORT

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre   9     Gwinnett   3

 

BLASTED: RAILRIDERS CATCH 9-3 VICTORY OVER STRIPERS

Austin, Avelino go deep as Baby Bombers take series opener

 

MOOSIC, Pa. (July 27, 2018) – Led by five RBIs from Abiatal Avelino, the Scranton-Wilkes/Barre RailRiders pounded out 13 hits and defeated the Gwinnett Stripers 9-3 on Friday night at PNC Field. The RailRiders have now won four of their last five games at home.

 

Gwinnett took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when Danny Santana drove an Erik Swanson pitch over the wall in right for a solo home run. The long ball was the only blemish against Swanson’s ledger on the night. The right-hander allowed just one run on two hits, walking one and striking out seven.

 

The RailRiders struck back in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out rally against Wes Parsons. Following a Tyler Austin single, Mike Ford doubled to plate the first Scranton/Wilkes-Barre run. Abiatal Avelino added a single to right to chase Ford home and hand the RailRiders a 2-1 advantage.

 

The Stripers answered right back in the top of the sixth against Cale Coshow to tie the game at 2-2. Luis Marte led off with a double to left and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on an Austin Riley sacrifice fly.

 

In the bottom of the sixth, the Baby Bombers regained the lead when Zack Zehner led off with a single to right. Devyn Bolasky hit into a fielder’s choice, but Riley threw the ball away and everyone was safe. Francisco Diaz laid down a successful sacrifice bunt, and a sacrifice fly to center from Bruce Caldwell plated Zehner to bring the SWB lead to 3-2.

 

Jonathan Morales tied the game with a sacrifice fly against Raynel Espinal in the top of the seventh, plating Rio Ruiz to knot the game at 3-3. The run was charged to Coshow, who had walked Ruiz earlier in the frame.

 

The see-saw continued in the bottom of the seventh when Tyler Austin slammed a 421-foot solo home run off Fernando Salas to lead off the frame and put the RailRiders back on top 4-3. It was Austin’s fifth round-tripper with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season.

 

SWB provided insurance in the bottom of the eighth inning when Mike Ford drew a bases-loaded walk against Miguel Socolovich to score Diaz. Abiatal Avelino erased all doubt with a line drive grand slam to break the game open and extend the gap to 9-3. The grand slam was the second of the season for the RailRiders, with the other coming off the bat of Brandon Drury on May 11 against Rochester.

 

Tommy Kahnle hit Dustin Peterson with a pitch to lead off the top of the ninth but retired the side without any further issue to close out the win. Raynel Espinal (5-1) got the win for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, who combined to strike out 13 Gwinnett batsmen.

 

Avelino starred with 3-for-5 performance, including his grand slam and 5 RBIs. He now has a career-high 14 home runs this season combined between the RailRiders and Double-A Trenton.

 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre continues its three-game series with Gwinnett on Saturday night at PNC Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. LHP Justus Sheffield (3-3, 2.44) takes the mound for the RailRiders, while the Stripers counter with RHP Lucas Sims (4-2, 2.15). For tickets and more information, call (570) 969-BALL or slide to www.swbrailriders.com/tickets.

 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record:

54-47