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MOOSIC — There was a point in early July when Brady Lail was flip-flopping between starts and relief appearances for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. And, as a reliever, something clicked.

In a pair of three-inning relief appearances Lail totaled a 1.50 ERA. However, in four starts he had an 0-2 record and an alarming 9.33 ERA. He even pitched a shutout inning in his Aug. 3 relief appearance, just six days after giving up seven runs in 4.1 innings as a starter.

By that point, Lail had discovered something in his relief appearances that hadn’t yet translated to his work as a starter. He was pitching with an aggressiveness that he needed to develop when he was making his starts.

“When I first came up here, I think we were trying to work too much,” Lail said. “Right now (RailRiders pitching coach Tommy Phelps) is kind of letting me do my own thing, and I think I found a few things coming in the bullpen. I think it really helped me define myself as a pitcher — that I do have a little bit more (velocity) right now. So kind of my mindset is being in your lanes and throw everything hard, and that’s kind of helping out to be able to get quick outs, be able to execute my off-speed pitches and go from there.”

Since the calendar has turned, Lail has developed that bulldog mentality he was using as reliever every time he makes a start now.

He’s 1-0 in three starts with a 2.65 ERA. Lail has only given up four runs in 17.1 innings, and three of them came as solo home runs Thursday night.

“I was honored to be a part of (the Yankees’ annual) Captains Camp a couple years ago and I talked to CC Sabathia, that (he) was a big football player growing up,” Lail said. “He said he always has that bulldog, that kind of Friday night grind and that’s what I’ve kind of been doing. I just have to go out there and I can’t be too calm. I have to be able to attack and get going. I think going to the pen really helped me realize that I have to have that mentality.”

If he can carry that bulldog mentality down the stretch, Lail could be a nice weapon for the RailRiders in the playoffs.

Bird brings pop

Yankees first baseman Greg Bird is finally starting to look like the player the big-league club fell in love with two years ago.

After homering twice Friday night, including a fifth-inning bomb over the hill in right field, Bird displayed some pop that the Yankees had been looking for from him while rehabbing with the RailRiders.

“He’s such a professional on the field and off the field, so I’m very happy for him,” RailRiders manager Al Pedrique said after Friday’s game. “That’s the guy I saw when I had him in Double-A. … Now he’s going to start doing things he’s capable of doing.”

Bird said again Friday night that he’s happy with his progression during his rehab.

“I’m excited. I really am,” Bird said. “I’m getting my work in and I’m feeling really good. I’m right where I need to be.

“I always think of myself as a base-hit hitter, I guess. I just have a plan, I stick to it. And if I do that, good things are going to happen.”

Coshow makes debut

RailRiders reliever Cale Coshow made his Triple-A debut Friday night.

Entering the game in a high-pressure situation, in the middle of an 8-1 run in two innings by the Durham Bulls, Coshow allowed just one run on four hits and a walk in 2.1 innings. The former Double-A Trenton closer struck out a pair.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders pitching coach Tommy Phelps, center, has taken a relaxed approach with starter Brady Lail, right, lately, and it has worked as the right-hander has had an impressive month of August. Bill Tarutis file photo | For Times Leader
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/web1_TTL072417RailRiders_5.jpg.optimal.jpgScranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders pitching coach Tommy Phelps, center, has taken a relaxed approach with starter Brady Lail, right, lately, and it has worked as the right-hander has had an impressive month of August. Bill Tarutis file photo | For Times Leader

By DJ Eberle

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Reach DJ Eberle at 570-991-6398 or on Twitter @ByDJEberle