IL1 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

RailRiders vs. Tides - Game Notes - May 29, 2013

Published on May 29, 2013 under International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


SEE-SAW SETBACK: The RailRiders rallied from three different deficits and forged ahead for their lone lead in the eighth, but ultimately lost a back-and-forth contest to the Tides at Harbor Park last night, 10-8.

TWO-OUT THUNDER: Six of the RailRiders' eight runs came on two-out RBIs. That included all three scores in their go-ahead eighth-inning rally. Norfolk scored six of its 10 on two-out RBIs as well.

HITMEN: One night after firing its second two-hitter of the season, SWB's pitching staff surrendered 14 base hits. RailRiders' pitching has allowed double-digit hits in eight of its last nine games and 11 of 14.

PITCHING PROBLEMS: After defeating Gwinnett on May 11, 4-3, the RailRiders' pitching staff owned a 2.98 ERA. The team was also a season-high-tying six games over .500. In losing 13 of 16 since, the staff has allowed 103 earned runs in 138.2 IP (6.69 ERA) while watching 18 balls leave the yard. Starters have gone 2-7 in that time while giving up 60 earned runs in 72.2 IP (7.43 ERA) and allowing 12 of the home runs. The bullpen has gone 1-6 with 43 earned runs and six taters surrendered in 66 IP (5.86 ERA). SWB spent most of the early stage of the season among the IL's best in team ERA, often ranking just behind Indianapolis. It entered today with a 4.19 mark that placed it ninth in the 14-team circuit.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The RailRiders' two most recent road trips before this venture went quite differently. In their only other IL South tour, they went 8-0 at Charlotte and Gwinnett from April 27-May 5. Dave Miley's team followed that with a 1-7 showing at Toledo and Columbus from May 14-21. As a consequence, despite Monday's victory in the road trip opener, SWB has dropped five of its last six on the road and eight of 10. The team's home/road ERA splits are not enormous (4.06/4.34), but its offensive differences are extreme. At home, the RailRiders hit .230 and score 3.5 runs/game. On the road, the team contact clip surges to .272 and it scores 4.9 runs/game.

FALLING FROM AHEAD: While their lone lead last night was slim and late, a 7-6 advantage in the eighth, the RailRiders lost despite holding a lead at some point for the 15th time. That means the RailRiders have owned an advantage at some point in 56% of their 27 losses. Conversely, the RailRiders have only rallied from a deficit to win six times, or in 26% of their 23 triumphs.

NEAL DEAL: Thomas Neal went 2-for-4 with an RBI double, a walk and two runs scored. Due to no game activity from April 25-May 10 while he nursed injury on the DL, Neal had not been ranked among IL leaders until recent days. He enters today on an eight-game hitting streak, connecting at a .452 (14-for-31) rate during that time. His five walks in that time put his OBP at .553 during this run. On the season, Neal now owns the IL's third-best batting average (.353) and stands tied with Toledo's Jordan Lennerton for the loop's second-best on-base percentage (.447). Neal thrives in the big spot. His average soars to .364 with men on base, .387 with men on and two outs and .409 with men in scoring position and two down.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: Despite Neal's first error of the season last night, the RailRiders still own the league's best team defensive numbers by far. SWB has committed a league-low 29 errors and owns a .984 fielding percentage. The next-lowest error total belongs to Rochester and Buffalo (38).

RING MY BELL: No Norfolk Tide has hit more homers during the franchise's run as a Baltimore Orioles affiliate (2007-Present) than now-RailRiders infielder, Josh Bell. Last night, he hit his first dinger with SWB, and did so at his old stomping grounds. Only 10 of his 33 homers with Norfolk came at Harbor Park.

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International League Stories from May 29, 2013


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