Click here to subscribe today or Login.
After managing just three hits in Saturday’s first game, the RailRiders responded by blasting four home runs in the second to earn a seven-inning doubleheader split at Lehigh Valley.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre brought home a series win from Allentown, taking four of six from the IronPigs with a 7-5 win in Saturday’s nightcap after shaking off a 3-0 loss in the opener.
Jamie Westbrook, Michael Hermosillo, Andres Chaparro and Billy McKinney all went deep for the RailRiders in the second game, with McKinney’s solo shot in the top of the sixth providing the winning run against a late rally.
Westbrook added an RBI double and reached base three times out of the cleanup spot.
Lehigh Valley claimed leads of 2-1 and 3-2 in the first four innings before Hermosillo connected for his first homer in a RailRiders uniform, a two-run blast in the fifth that made it 4-3.
Solo shots by Chaparro and McKinney were followed by an RBI single by Wilmer Difo that put Scranton/Wilkes-Barre up 7-3 in the sixth.
But the IronPigs didn’t go away and made it 7-5 with a double in the bottom of the seventh, even bringing the winning run to the plate after a Jesus Bastidas throwing error on what would have been the final out.
Reliever James Norwood was able to escape the jam, striking out Esteban Quiroz with runners on the corners to end the game and pick up the save.
Deivi Garcia got the win while working three innings out of the bullpen, allowing a run on three hits while striking out two and walking two. He took over in the second inning for Nick Ramirez, who made the spot start.
It was a strong response to an ugly start to the day. The first game saw the RailRiders commit five errors in just six innings in the field while managing just three singles at the plate.
Bastidas, Difo and Jose Godoy had the hits as the RailRiders’ lone threat came by loading the bases in the fifth before Hermosillo hit into an inning-ending double play.
All three IronPigs runs were unearned against starter Mitch Spence, who took the loss after allowing five hits and two walks while fanning five in 4.2 innings.
The RailRiders return home Tuesday to open a six-game series against Syracuse at PNC Field.