SWB Game Notes - August 18, 2026
IL Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB Game Notes - August 18, 2026

Published on August 18, 2026 under International League (IL)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


Charlotte Knights (22-23, 64-56) vs Vejigantes de Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (25-17, 62-54)

August 18, 2026 | Game 118 | Home Game 56 | PNC Field | First Pitch 7:05 P.M.

RH Shane Smith (2-0, 5.26) vs #3 RH Elmer Rodríguez (8-3, 2.63)

Smith (8/13 @ ROC): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 HB, 1 BB, 5 SO, 75 P (50 S) [Knights, 7-2]

Rodríguez (8/13 @ LHV): 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 SO, 94 P (63 S) [RailRiders, 5-1]

LAST TIME OUT

ALLENTOWN, PA (August 16, 2026) - Sunday afternoon's game between the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and Lehigh Valley IronPigs was suspended after one inning due to inclement weather.

Each team sent three batters to the plate in the first before play was halted.

The game will resume at PNC Field with a 4:05 PM first pitch. The game will begin in the 2nd inning and be played as a full nine-inning contest. The RailRiders will play as the away team. They will follow it up with the regularly scheduled game 30 minutes after game 1 ends. This we be a seven-inning contest and feature SWB back as the home team.

The RailRiders and IronPigs have one series remaining this season, set for September 1-6 at PNC Field.

NEWS AND NOTES

IN THE LEAGUE - Despite not getting a game in one Sunday, the RailRiders remain tied for third place in the International League. They are now a game and a half behind the leading Indianapolis and a half a game back from St. Paul. SWB is tied with Worcester and Durham. The RailRiders are 2-8 in their last ten games and eight contests above .500 on the full season. Charlotte is six games out of first place and have gone 5-5 in their last ten contests.

RODRÍGUEZ IS ROLLING - Yankees #3 prospect Elmer Rodríguez had his best start of the season last week, matching a career-high seven full frames. He allowed just three hits, all within the first two innings, and a walk on 94 pitches. He retired the last 13 batters he faced totalling seven strikeouts. He has been stellar with the RailRiders holding a 2.63 ERA in 18 starts. He has earned eight wins while striking out 94 batters. Rodríguez has allowed just 46 walks and five home runs in 92.1 innings. The number #72 overall prospect in Minor League Baseball has made four starts for a 4.76 ERA with the New York Yankees. Rodríguez was picked up in a trade with Boston for C Carlos Narváez in 2024.

RAINY SUNDAY - The RailRiders and IronPigs played one inning before the game was suspended due to inclement weather. The game will be made up at PNC Field, because they do not play again at Coca Cola Park. It will be resumed on September 1 at 4:05 PM and will be completed through nine innings.

EVERYBODY MAKES MISTAKES - SWB made five errors in their week at Lehigh Valley, including a contest that featured three miscues. They have made 105 miscues in 116 games. This is second most in the International League. Charlotte is on the opposite side, with the third least miscues made adding up to 74 in 120 games on the summer.

THE MARTÍNEZ WEEK- Ernesto Martínez Jr hit .500 on the week against Lehigh Valley. He recorded six hits in a dozen at-bats over three contests. Martínez Jr also stole a base totaling his tenth of the season. Martínez Jr. has hit 16 homers, marking the most he has launched in a single summer. He also now has 54 runs batted in which is nine away from the most he has had in a single season (62 in 2024).

DUKE'S DASHING - Duke Ellis tied a record for single-season stolen bases, after adding one more to his total last night. His 44 tied a record set by Tommy Barrett in 1989. Barrett did so in 120 games, whereas Ellis marked his in 81 contests. Ellis also holds the franchise record for 86 total with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 157 games. The prior record was held by Nick Punto who stole 82 bags in 263 games. Ellis's personal record is 57 in a single year done back in 2024.

WHAT'S LEFT - The RailRiders have just five weeks of the season left, with three of those series here at PNC Field. They will play this six-game set then travel to Worcester to finish off August. September features a home series against Lehigh Valley and a trip to Rochester where they will play on Labor Day Monday. SWB wraps up their 2026 campaign with a week at PNC Field against Jacksonville, the Marlins Triple-A affiliate.

WHO ARE THEY- The RailRiders adopt the identity of the Vejigante for the final time this season. The team is 1-1 when wearing this alternate identity. A Vejigante is a brightly-colored, folkloric masked character that is a blend of African, Spanish and Caribbean influences and a key figure in several annual celebrations. Festivals are often accompanied by drum-heavy music of bomba y plena and parades of Vejigante characters happily walking among the crowds, chanting, singing and dancing. The Vejigantes represent either the devil in the battle between good and evil or the Moors that Saint James fought during the Catholic Reconquista of Spain.

Check out the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Statistics

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International League Stories from August 18, 2026


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