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The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (82-66) split a doubleheader against the Buffalo Bisons on Monday. Thanks to a walk-off win in game two, SWB’s postseason hopes are still alive with an elimination number of one with two games to go.
Game one was a resumption of a rain-suspended contest from August 7. The RailRiders were tied at one in the middle of the sixth. SWB took a 2-1 lead thanks to a Tyler Wade home run in the bottom of the seventh.
Buffalo hit a pair of back-to-back solo shots just a half inning later in the top of the eighth, but Josh Breaux regained the advantage with a two-run homer of his own in the bottom of the frame. The lead however disappeared on a close play at the plate in the ninth. An RBI single from Rafael Lantigua in the tenth gave the Bisons their final edge in a 5-4 SWB loss.
Bard (1-1) was given the loss with Buffalo’s Matt Gage (2-2) earning the victory in two innings of relief. The loss pushed Scranton/Wilkes-Barre back to two games back with three to play.
The RailRiders jumped on Buffalo starter José De León quick in game two. Anthony Volpe scored after a throw sailed to left on a stolen base of third. After a walk, Ronald Guzmán launched a two-run homer for a 3-0 advantage early.
The Bisons responded with a lone run in the third on a solo homer from Stevie Berman. Yoshi Tsutsugo tied the game with an RBI single in the fifth. The RailRiders didn’t take long to regain the advantage as Volpe launched his third Triple-A home run, a solo shot made it 4-3 SWB.
Armando Alvarez followed with a solo homer of his own in the sixth inning. Alvarez’s 18th long ball of the year extends what has already been a single season for him. Prior to 2022, the most he had hit in a single campaign was 13 in 2018.
Michael Beltre added to the lead with a double in the eighth to make it 6-3 but that lead wouldn’t hold. Addison Barger tied the game with a three-run shot in the ninth, 6-6.
The teams traded runs in the tenth before SWB walked it off on a Ben Rortvedt infield single as the RailRiders won 8-7.
Braden Bristo (3-3) earned the win with two innings of relief. Brandon Eisert (4-3) suffered the loss. The series continues on Tuesday at 6:35 PM for the final Two for Tuesday of the year. Tickets are available online at swbrailriders.com.