Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

Michael King is finding his groove again. Just in time to perhaps deliver another division title to the RailRiders.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s promising right-hander turned in his best performance since the 2018 International League playoffs, combining with two others on a three-hit shutout in Tuesday’s 4-0 win in Pawtucket.

After his breakthrough 2018 campaign, King lost most of 2019 to elbow issues before struggling when he returned to the mound in early July and returning to Triple-A earlier this month.

This was his second straight solid start for the RailRiders, a hopeful sign for his return to prominence. King didn’t allow a hit until there were two outs in the bottom of the fifth and went six strong innings, allowing a double, two singles and a walk while striking out six.

Jonathan Loaisiga, having just rejoined the team from the New York Yankees, followed it up with two hitless innings with three strikeouts. J.P. Feyereisen pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the win.

And it was an important one. The RailRiders (72-62) entered the night tied with Syracuse for the IL North lead.

Rival Lehigh Valley came through in a big way for the RailRiders on Tuesday, holding on to a 5-3 win over Syracuse to drop the Mets (71-63) a game behind Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with just six games left in the regular season.

Yankees infielder Luke Voit turned in a big performance at the plate, batting leadoff while going 3-for-5 with three extra-base hits — a homer and two doubles — and two RBI.

Voit set the tone by leading off the game with a double and quickly scoring two batters later on another double by Breyvic Valera.

His second double came in the third, leading to another run on Kyle Higashioka’s two-out single.

King and Loaisiga made the 2-0 lead stand up all the way into the top of the ninth, when Voit provided some breathing room with a two-run homer to center.

Clint Frazier and Trey Amburgey added two hits apiece as the RailRiders had 11 on the night. Wendell Rijo and Mandy Alvarez both doubled.

The series continues Wednesday with a 7:05 p.m. start in Pawtucket. Syracuse hosts Lehigh Valley at 6:35 p.m.

Riding the rails

• Loaisiga reported to the team prior to the game after being optioned by the Yankees on Friday. Fellow pitcher Kaleb Ort was sent down to Double-A Trenton to make room.

• Ryan McBroom has been named to the International League’s postseason All-Star Team as a utility player.

McBroom, who has played first base, in the outfield and served as a designated hitter this season, leads the league in OPS (.970) and checks in second in slugging percentage (.567), third in batting average (.319) and fourth in on-base percentage (.403).

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_RR-logo-20.jpg.optimal.jpg

By Derek Levarse

[email protected]