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First Posted: 5/25/2013
The T.L. Express
The losing streak extended to seven on Saturday night after the RailRiders lost 11-6 to Durham. It’s the longest losing streak since dropping nine consecutive from Aug. 9-19, 2011, which also included four straight losses to Durham at PNC Field.
RailRiders at the plate: Corban Joseph slugged his team-leading sixth home run of the season. Ronnier Mustelier also went deep, his second of the season as part of a three-hit night. Josh Bell and Thomas Neal each added two hits.
RailRiders on the mound: Caleb Cotham got his fourth start of the season for the RailRiders and didn’t get out of the fourth inning. He only went 3 2/3 innings giving up eight run on five hits and four walks. He saw his record fall to 0-3. Dellin Betances, back from New York, took over in the top of the fourth going 2 1/1 innings giving up three runs on four hits, three walks and two strikeouts. Jim Miller finally settled things down pitching the seventh and eighth only allowing one walk and fanning three. Cody Eppley tossed a perfect ninth.
Attendance: 6,386
Time of Game: 3:18
Riding the Rails: Right-hander Dellin Betances was back in Moosic on Saturday after being optioned to Triple-A on Friday. In a corresponding move, outfielder Brennan Boesch was recalled to New York because Curtis Granderson was placed on the 15-day D.L. with a fractured metacarpal after being hit by a pitch. The RailRiders also activated Luke Murton from the disabled list, and Friday’s starter Graham Stoneburner was transferred to Double-A Trenton….New York also claimed LHP David Huff off waivers from Cleveland on Saturday and designated Francisco Rondo for assignment to make room for Huff on the 40-man roster. It’s unknown where Huff will end up at this point and it is possible he will don a RailRiders uniform at some point.
Low Railings: In addition to losing 12 of 13 games, SWB has hit a few futility marks recently. On Friday night, Melky Mesa went 2-for-4, but struck out two more times. In doing so, he became just the fourth player in all of the minors to reach 70 strikeouts this season. He has done so in 170 at-bats, a clip higher than 41 percent. On Saturday, Mesa struck out twice, but also drew his first walk since April 14 and his fifth this season…When Zoilo Almonte grounded into a doubleplay Friday night, it marked the tenth time this season he has done so to lead the International League and be second in all of Minor League Baseball. Almonte on Saturday was 0-for-2 with a pair of walks and a sacrifice fly, but did not ground into a twin-killing.
Bulling the RailRiders: After having Friday night off, Montrose grad Rich Thompson was back in the leadoff spot for Durham on Saturday. He was hit by a pitch twice, singled and stole a base in five plate appearances. The active minor league leader in stolen bases with 476, he now has 13 on the season. Former SWB Yankee slugger Shelley Duncan was 1-for-3 with an RBI-single and a run scored.