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The race for the International League North Division title will last one more day … at least.
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders took care of business on Sunday – defeating the Buffalo Bisons 15-12 at PNC Field – and then had to sit around and await for the result of the Syracuse Mets game against the Rochester Red Wings.
The Mets defeated the Red Wings, 7-3, to stay one game behind the RailRiders at 74-65 with one game to play.
That means Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (75-64) merely need a victory in today’s game against Bisons to win the division title. However, a RailRider loss coupled with a Syracuse win over Rochester would leave the two teams tied and force a one-game playoff to decide to winner and postseason birth.
The RailRiders will face Buffalo at 12:05 p.m. at PNC Field, while Syracuse will play Rochester at 1:05 p.m. in Rochester.
In Sunday’s game, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre got home runs from Mandy Alvarez and Erik Katch and three-hit games from Trey Amburgey, Erik Kratz and Billy Burns.
Amburgey doubled and singled twice, scoring a pair of runs while also driving home a couple.
Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, on a rehab assignment from the New York Yankees, even chipped in with a hit, two runs and an RBI. His Bronx Bombers teammate Luis Severino didn’t fare as well in his rehab start.
Severino pitched one inning, allowing two runs on three hits and two strikeouts.
Michael King (3-1) got the win in relief while Buffalo starter Anthony Kay (3-5) took the loss.
Forrest Wall homered and singled, scoring three runs and driving home a couple for the Bisons. Socrates Brito doubled twice, scoring two runs.