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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s magical May keeps on rolling.
Mandy Alvarez came through with a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth, and the RailRiders remained undefeated on the month with a 5-4 win over Indianapolis on Wednesday at PNC Field.
It was the seventh straight victory for the RailRiders (17-12), who recovered from blowing an early lead before rallying.
Tied 4-4, the Indians never got an out in the ninth as Logan Morrison was hit by a pitch, Ryan Lavarnway drew a walk and Gosuke Katoh reached on a bunt single to load the bases.
Alvarez then lined a 1-2 pitch to center, keeping the streak alive with his third hit of the game.
Matt Lipka got Scranton/Wilkes-Barre off to a great start, launching a three-run shot over the fence in left-center to open the scoring in the bottom of the second.
It didn’t last.
Indianapolis responded immediately in the top of the third with a pair of doubles. Ke’Bryan Hayes drove in a run with the second one, prompting a pitching change as New York Yankees reliever Chad Green started another game in an opener role.
But Daniel Camarena — just added to the roster after signing a minor-league deal — gave up two hits right after taking the mound himself. The first scored a run and the second set up a sac fly that tied it up at 3-3.
Pablo Reyes took Camarena deep in the next inning to give the Indians the lead, which held until the bottom of the sixth, when Alvarez scored on a wild pitch to make things even again.
The RailRiders managed to put the go-ahead run in scoring position in the sixth, seventh and eighth but couldn’t bring it home. All of it was forgotten with the breakthrough in the ninth.
Stephen Tarpley, optioned from New York over the weekend, picked up the win in relief.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre will go for the sweep with a Thursday matinee against the Indians. First pitch is set for 10:35 a.m.