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MOOSIC — Toledo Mud Hens starter Anibal Sanchez held a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.
But with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders center fielder Dustin Fowler standing on second base, after a lead-off double, and Gleyber Torres facing a 1-0 count, everything changed. Sanchez deliver a strike to the RailRiders third baseman, but when his left leg landed as he finished his delivery it buckled and the right-hander walked gingerly off the mound. That would be the last pitch Sanchez would throw.
With Toledo reliever Victor Alcantara entering the game, the RailRiders would go on to tee off. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (31-21) scored four runs in the inning, which would be the difference, en route to a 7-5 victory over the Mud Hens (23-30).
“When Sanchez got hurt and the reliever came in, you could tell that he was wild. That’s what helped us,” RailRiders manager Al Pedrique said. “We got two good at-bats by (Donovan) Solano and Mason Williams, and that’s the game. That’s why you have to stay focused. Anything can happen and I’m glad we took advantage in that inning and took the lead.”
Alcantara had struggled in each of his last two appearances, allowing a run in both, and the RailRiders knew it. After watching Sanchez register five strikeouts, the RailRiders were ready for a change of pace.
Torres immediately took advantage of the chance in pitcher with an infield single to short. Then an RBI single from Clint Frazier, RBI double from Solano and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Williams put the RailRiders back ahead for the first time since the third inning. Fowler also scored on a wild pitch to start the scoring of the inning.
“I took the same approach. I tried to put the ball in play,” Torres said of facing Alcantara. “I know who the pitchers are that I face before the last hitter. I saw and took the same approach and put the ball in the middle.”
RailRiders shortstop Tyler Wade was impressive once again.
Making plays in both the field and at the plate, the 22-year-old led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run en route to a two-hit night. He’s homered in two of his last three games.
Wade also started four putouts and caught a Michael Almanzar line drive in the second. He made a pair of nice plays fielding ground balls in the sixth, charging a slow roller over the mound to put out Almanzar and grabbing a Bryan Holaday grounder in the hole to end the inning.
“Offense and defense, it’s the same thing. You go through your skids, but hey’re going to drop eventually,” Wade said. “You have to stick with your plan and your approach and just trust the process.”
RailRiders second baseman Cito Culver provided some pop from the bottom of the lineup.
Culver batted runs in, in both the second and fourth inning with an RBI single and RBI triple, respectively. Culver’s triple was his first of the year and cut the RailRiders’ deficit to 4-3.
Frieri back?
RailRiders closer Ernesto Frieri cleaned out his locker and said goodbye to teammates Friday afternoon. But then, five hours later he was sitting in the RailRiders bullpen in uniform as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre started its game with the Mud Hens. Frieri even warmed up in the ninth in-case Ben Heller needed to be relieved.
After making the New York Yankees aware that he would opt out of his contract earlier in the day, there was some miscommunication between Frieri and his agent after he left the ballpark in the afternoon. Frieri learned that the Yankees had two days to make a decision on their end and returned to the clubhouse.
“I thought opting out was kind of like when you get put on waivers, that you’re not able to come to the ballpark or whatever, but it looks like I have two more days — today and tomorrow,” Frieri said after the win. “In that period of time the Yankees have the option to do whatever they want with me.”
Injury report
RailRiders first baseman Ji-Man Choi dodged a bullet Thursday night when he was hit in the wrist by a pitch.
X-Rays came back “fine” according to Choi, who sat out Friday and plans to do the same Saturday. He hopes to practice Sunday.
Up next
The RailRiders continue their three-game series with Toledo Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
For other RailRiders stories, click here.
RailRiders 7, Toledo 5
Toledo`AB`R`H`BI
Krizan lf`4`1`1`1
Diaz 2b`5`0`0`0
Navarro 1b`4`2`1`1
Almanzar 3b`4`1`2`2
Moya rf`5`0`2`1
Holaday c`4`0`1`0
Watkins dh`4`0`0`0
Ryan ss`4`0`0`0
den Dekker cf`2`1`1`0
Totals`36`5`8`5
RailRiders`AB`R`H`BI
Wade ss`4`1`2`1
Fowler cf`5`1`1`0
Torres 3b`4`1`1`0
Austin 1b`4`0`1`0
Frazier rf`4`1`1`1
Solano dh`4`1`1`1
Williams lf`3`1`2`1
Castillo c`3`1`1`0
Culver 2b`3`0`2`2
Totals`34`7`12`6
Toledo`004`010`000`—`5
RailRiders`110`140`00X`—`7
E: Torres (4); DP: Mudhens 1, RailRiders 0; LOB: Mud Hens 10, RailRiders 8; 2B: den Dekker (1), Krizan (4), Navarro (11), Moya (2), Castillo (3), Fowler (15), Solano (5); 3B; Culver (1); HR: Almanzar (3), Wade (5); SF: Williams.
Toledo`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Sanchez`4.0`7`4`4`1`5
Alcantara (L, 0-1)`2.2`4`3`3`1`2
Ryan`0.1`1`0`0`0`0
Rodon`1.0`0`0`0`1`2
RailRiders`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Lail (W, 3-2)`5.2`6`5`5`3`1
Webb (H, 4)`1.1`2`0`0`1`2
Heller (S, 2)`2.0`0`0`0`2`4
WP: Alcantara 2, Lail, Webb.
HBP: Castillo (by Alcantara).
Umpires: Robert Moreno, HP; Chris Graham, 1B; Can Merzel, 3B.
Time: 3:09; Att.: 9,034.
