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DURHAM, N.C. — One swing of the bat from Kyle Roller lifted the RailRiders back above .500.
Roller blasted a two-run homer in the top of the sixth to rally Scranton/Wilkes-Barre past Durham 3-2 Saturday on the road. It was the RailRiders’ third straight win over the Bulls in the series.
Rob Refsnyder (2-for-4) led off the sixth with a single before Roller’s sixth home run of the season gave the RailRiders (19-18) their first lead of the game.
That was enough to support a strong pitching performance by starter Joel De La Cruz and relievers Caleb Cotham and Miark Montgomery, who held the Bulls (20-17) scoreless in the final eight innings.
Durham had taken a quick lead in the first before the RailRiders could record an out. Nick Franklin hit a two-run homer of his own for the early 2-0 lead.
De La Cruz (3-0, 2.86 ERA) settled down and allowed only three more hits in his five innings of work for the win. Cotham was particularly impressive out of the bullpen, retiring all nine batters he faced, striking out six.
Montgomery surrendered a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth, but the tying run never made it into scoring position. Montgomery induced a 5-4-3 double play to end the game and pick up his first save.
Refsnyder and Cole Figueroa had two hits apiece to lead Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at the plate. Nick Noonan and Figueroa hit back-to-back doubles in the fifth to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The RailRiders will go for the four-game series sweep of the Bulls at 1:05 p.m. today. They then return home for a six-game homestand against Charlotte and Durham.
NOTES: Prior to the game, pitcher Bryan Mitchell was recalled to New York by the Yankees, who optioned pitcher Jose Ramirez to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in his place.
Pitcher Miguel Sulbaran also joined the roster after being promoted from Double-A Trenton. Pitcher Jared Burton was released to make room.
RailRiders 3, Durham 2
RailRiders`AB`R`H`BI
Heathcott rf`4`0`1`0
Flores dh`4`0`0`0
Refsnyder 2b`4`1`2`0
Roller 1b`4`1`1`2
Romine c`4`0`0`0
Gamel cf`4`0`1`0
Austin lf`4`0`1`0
Noonan ss`3`1`1`0
Figueroa 3b`4`0`2`1
Totals`35`3`9`3
Durham`AB`R`H`BI
Motter rf`4`1`2`0
Franklin ss`1`1`1`2
Lee ph-ss`3`0`0`0
Elmore 3b`4`0`1`0
Mahtook dh`4`0`1`0
Casali c`3`0`0`0
Brown cf`3`0`0`0
Casilla 2b`3`0`1`0
Velez lf`3`0`0`0
Belnome 1b`3`0`0`0
Totals`31`2`6`2
RailRiders`000`012`000`—`3
Durham`200`000`000`—`2
2B — Noonan, Figueroa; HR — Roller, Franklin; E — Elmore
RailRiders`IP`H`R`ER`BB`K
DeLaCruz (W)`5.0`5`2`2`1`3
Cotham`3.0`0`0`0`0`6
Montgmry (S)`1.0`1`0`0`0`0
Durham`IP`H`R`ER`BB`K
Floro (L)`7.0`9`3`3`1`2
Guilmet`1.0`0`0`0`0`0
Marinez`1.0`0`0`0`0`2