The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders topped the Rochester Red Wings 9-8 on Sunday afternoon. The home team was boosted by a late rally, a five-run eighth inning, to take the finale win.
SWB flipped the script by scoring the first runs of the game in the second inning. Oswaldo Cabrera and Yanquiel Fernández had back-to-back singles to get aboard. Christian Bethancourt raced out a bunt single to drive in a run and Kenedy Corona had an RBI knock for a 2-0 score.
In the fifth, Leandro Pineda smoked a home run off of Beck to cut the lead in half. SWB added insurance with an RBI single from Cabrera to bring home J.C. Escarra after his double for a 3-1 game.
The Red Wings took control in the seventh scoring six runs on six hits, including a grand slam off the bat of Trey Lipscomb.
Corona clapped back with a solo shot to lead off the next inning but the Red Wing’s Seaver King had a homer of his own to return to a four-run advantage.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, SWB went to work. Marco Luciano earned a walk and moved over on a base hit by Cabrera. Luciano stole third and sprinted home on a Fernández sacrifice fly. Bethancourt singled to reach and was replaced on the basepaths by new franchise stolen base king Duke Ellis, who, of course, stole second.
Ernesto Martínez Jr. smoked an RBI double and tied things up by scoring off the bat of Anthony Volpe. Jasson Domínguez followed it up with a run-scoring single for a 9-8 victory.
Zach Messinger (S, 2) sat down the side in the ninth inning for his second save of the season. Brad Hanner (W, 6-2) earned the win out of the bullpen behind Brendan Beck’s four and two thirds of one-run ball. Beck, the Yankees No. 19 prospect, struck out another eight batters to total 20 on the week in 10.2 frames.
Gus Varland took the loss after allowing the winning runs in the eighth.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre hits the road for a short trip to Lehigh Valley. The RailRiders begin a six-game set on Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. SWB returns to PNC Field on Aug. 18 for series against the Charlotte Knights.
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