SWB Game Notes - July 2, 2026
IL Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB Game Notes - July 2, 2026

Published on July 2, 2026 under International League (IL)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


Norfolk Tides (2-6, 30-53) vs Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (4-4, 41-41)

July 2, 2026 | Game 83 | Home Game 46 | PNC Field | First Pitch 7:05 P.M.

LH Cade Povich (0-1, 5.06) vs #2 RH Elmer Rodríguez (3-3, 2.78)

Povich (6/26 vs HBG): 3.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 4 SO, 66 P (44 S) [Senators, 8-3]

Rodríguez (6/26 @ IND): 4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 6 BB, 4 K, 90 P (46 S) [RailRiders, 8-3]

LAST TIME OUT

MOOSIC, PA (July 1, 2026) - The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders fell to the Norfolk Tides 9-5 Wednesday night at PNC Field. Despite a two-homer game from Marco Luciano, the RailRiders could not mount enough offense to take a second game from the Tides.

The RailRiders took a one-run lead in the bottom of the first. With two outs, Luciano jumped on a two-strike fastball from Norfolk starter Christian Herberholz and blasted it 422 feet over the center-field wall for an early 1-0 advantage.

Norfolk responded in the top of the second against RailRiders starter Dom Hamel when Ryan Noda doubled home a pair of runners for a one-run advantage. The Tides extended the lead in the top of the fourth. After loading the bases with one out, Bryan Ramos doubled home two, and Orioles #8 Prospect Enrique Bradfield Jr. followed with an RBI single to put Norfolk ahead 5-1.

In the home half of the fourth, SWB loaded the bases with no one out, but Herberholz retired the next three batters to escape the inning unscathed. A solo homer in the top of the fifth off the bat of Heston Kjerstad gave Norfolk a five-run cushion. In the bottom of the sixth, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre loaded the bases for the second time, plating a run on a Duke Ellis sacrifice fly that scored Yanquiel Fernández from third, cutting the deficit to four.

The Tides scored three runs in the top of the seventh on a Kjerstad sacrifice fly and a two-run homer by Christian Encarnacion-Strand, giving Norfolk a 9-2 lead.

Down seven runs in the bottom of the seventh, the RailRiders climbed to within four on a three-run homer from Luciano. Jonathan Ornelas walked and J.C. Escarra doubled before Luciano lifted his second homer of the game and his fourth two-homer game of the season, finishing the contest 2-for-5 with four RBIs. Hamel (3-9) surrendered six runs on nine hits over 6.0 frames in the loss. Herberholz (1-3) tossed 5.0 innings, allowing one run on four hits and striking out six in his first win of the year.

NEWS AND NOTES

ELMER ENGAGED - Yankees #2 prospect Elmer Rodríguez has been up and down with the Yankees this season after earning his first big-league call up on April 29. He has pitched for times with New York, most recently his last start on June 21 versus Cincinnati. Rodríguez took the loss allowing three runs in four innings. Along with a home run, he allowed a pair of walks while striking out four. The number #58 overall prospect in Minor League Baseball has pitched well in Triple-A for a 3.00 earned run average. In ten starts, the right-hander has gone 51.1 innings with 51 strikeouts. Rodríguez was picked up in a trade with Boston for C Carlos Narváez in 2024.

BRIDGE TO THE BRONX - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has had 51 players on their roster over the course of the season. There have been 26 unique position players and 24 different pitchers. Thirteen players were promoted to the big leagues from the RailRiders this summer, including four that made their Major League debut. Elmer Rodríguez, Spencer Jones, Yovanny Cruz, and Brendan Beck all reached MLB for the first time earlier this season.

EVERYBODY MAKES MISTAKES- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's 80 miscues are third most in Triple-A as Norfolk's 84 lead the pack, after adding one last night. Thirty-eight separate RailRiders have erred, while two players each had seven to lead the team.

ORNELAS KEEPS IT UP- Jonathan Ornelas kept his batting average above .300 last night with a single and a walk. He has held the best average throughout the season for SWB. The righty has played in 66 games with the RailRiders having produced a dozen doubles, three triples, and six home runs. Ornelas has batted in 29 runs and scored 36 of his own. He has also swiped nine bases. The 26-year-old was signed by New York as a minor league free agent on 11/6/25.

IT WAS AN OKAY JUNE- The RailRiders went 13-13 this June, playing every scheduled game. The pitching staff held a 4.31 earned run average in 217.1 innings while totaling 227 strikeouts. The batters hit for a .256 average with 42 doubles and 33 home runs. They also stole 30 bags. The team's ERA has been fairly consistent through the first full three months of the season but the hitting went up over 20 points in June compared to April and May.

J.C.'S JOURNEY- J.C. Escarra made New York's opening day roster to begin the season. He has been optioned to the RailRiders three times but the was recalled by the Yankees the first two times quickly due to injury and paternity list roster moves.

VERSUS LEFTIES - The RailRiders have had limited opportunity against lefties this season, actually having some of the least at-bats against southpaws in the International League. They are hitting .265 as a team against left-handed pitches, but have recorded 29 total home runs.

Check out the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Statistics

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International League Stories from July 2, 2026


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