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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB Game Notes

August 31, 2015 - International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


ELIMINATION DAY: Clutch two-out hits generated the offense and three hurlers handled the rest as the SWB RailRiders shut out the Buffalo Bisons on Sunday afternoon, 2-0. The RailRiders lowered their magic number to four with second-place Rochester and eliminated the third-place Bisons from postseason contention.

POTENT PITCHING: SWB starter Chris Capuano quelled a variety of two-out threats to toss 3.2 scoreless innings. Johnny Barbato (3-0) piggybacked behind him with 3.1 perfect innings and did not allow a Bison to leave the infield. Nick Goody worked around a leadoff infield hit in the ninth to record his third save.

PITCHING POINTS: Capuano has allowed just four runs in his five Triple-A starts and 22.1 IP (1.61 ERA). He has struck out 21 while walking six. Barbato and Goody combined to allow just one baserunner over the game's last 5.1 innings. Barbato has allowed one run at Triple-A in 22.2 IP (0.40 ERA) while whiffing 22. The IL has just 12 hits in that time for a .162 batting average against. Goody has held the loop to a .197 average (13H in 18.2 IP) while striking out 22 (10.6K/9IP).

BACK ON TRACK: The IL's best road team (39-27) in 2015 snapped its first six-game road losing streak since the vagabond 2012 SWB Yankees lost six true road games from June 18-23 at the start of the Louisville/Indianapolis journey. The team has never lost seven straight road games as the top affiliate of the Yankees.

FOUR MORE: The RailRiders have two games left against second-place Rochester starting tomorrow night and a magic number of four. Any combination of SWB wins and Rochester losses totaling four would cement a higher finish for the RailRiders and the team's first playoff spot/IL North crown since 2012.

NEMESIS: After claiming the teams' first three meetings of 2015, the RailRiders have lost eight of 11 against the Bisons. SWB has a winning record against every other IL North team. The RailRiders have outscored the Bisons 47-39, outhit them .253-.230 and outpitched them in ERA 2.52-3.29. Seven of the RailRiders' eight losses in the season series have come by two runs or less including three one-run games (mean average difference of 1.88/loss). Four of the RailRiders' six wins have come by four or more runs (mean average difference of 3.83/win).

TURN THE BEAT AROUND: Rob Refsnyder went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. He entered the game at .268, his lowest average since and 0-for-3 effort versus Indianapolis on May 7 had him at .267. He entered yesterday in a 9-for-52 slide over his prior 12 games, slashing .173/.200/.212/.412. He has posted two hits, a double and an RBI in two of his last three games. Kyle Roller delivered the team's only other extra-base hit to continue his turnaround. The IL All-Star has slashed .366/.409/.634/1.043 by going 15-for-41 over his last 13 games with six extra-base hits and five RBIs. He entered this run in a 5-for-56 funk slashing .089/.235/.179/.414 with 24K (43% of his at-bats). He has his average up to .232, the best it has been since July 20.

HOT HITTERS: Over his last 10 games, IL All-Star Austin Romine has hit .353/.389/.382/.771 by going 12-for-34 with eight RBIs. Since the All-Star break, Jose Pirela has hit .351/.420/.435/.856. His average and OBP in that time rank first and second respectively in the IL. At .330 and .394, his overall average and OBP would each rank second in the IL with enough plate appearances (2.7/team game).

THE DACK ATTACK: Dustin Ackley went 1-for-3 with an RBI and was grazed by a full-count pitch. In four rehab games with SWB he has gone 5-for-13 (.385) with a double, a homer and three RBIs.

DONUT DITTIES: Buffalo suffered its 19th shutout loss while SWB recorded its ninth shutout win and second in four days. Buffalo stands tied with Pawtucket for the most shutout losses in the league this season. Hours after the Bisons were blanked by the RailRiders, the PawSox suffered the same fate at the hands of the Rochester Red Wings, 7-0.

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