IL1 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB Game Notes

Published on April 22, 2013 under International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


SUNDAY FUNDAY: Three players enjoyed multi-hit games and Vidal Nuno struck out six batters while allowing just one run as the RailRiders defeated the Chiefs on Sunday afternoon, 5-1. The RailRiders have won six of their last eight.

BEST WEEK EVER: Today the International League office tabbed Nuno as the circuit's Pitcher of the Week. He is the first RailRider to be honored by the IL. Buffalo's Luis Jimenez received the Batter of the Week accolades. Nuno was dominant in his two starts, going 2-0 with a 0.77 ERA. On the season, the versatile southpaw is 2-0 with a sparkling 1.54 ERA that ranked fifth in the loop at the start of the day. He trailed only Indianapolis' Andy Oliver among active IL hurlers with 26 strikeouts. The former Baker University (Kan.) star has walked two batters over his 23.1 innings pitched for the league's best BB/9 IP ratio among starters (0.77). The IL has hit a slim .157 against him. Nuno is the first SWB pitcher to receive weekly honors from the IL since Ramon Ortiz received a tip of the cap for his efforts from May 21-27, 2012.

IF YOU AIN'T FIRST...: Ricky Bobby's dad aside, the RailRiders rose in the IL standings with their Sunday efforts. Combined with Lehigh Valley's third straight setback, the RailRiders' defeat of the Chiefs lifted the club to a season-best third-place standing. The team had not been in a spot better than a tie for fourth since starting the season 0-4.

THOMAS THE TANK: Outfielder Thomas Neal continues to swing the squad's hottest stick. He went 2-for-3 with his team-leading 12th RBI, a walk and a run scored in Sunday's win. Neal owns the team's best hitting streak on the young year with an eight-gamer entering tonight. He entered game two of the April 14 doubleheader at Buffalo as a .167 hitter. Since then, he has gone 14-for-30 (.467) during his string of success, nearly doubling his overall contact clip to .333.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Corban Joseph posted another excellent effort as the team's top-of-the-order slugger. The second baseman hit leadoff for the nine straight game and went 2-for-5 with an RBI double and a run scored. At the top of Dave Miley's nine Joseph has gone 14-for-37 (.378) with four doubles, three homers six RBIs and 11 runs scored. He has a .410 OBP in the leadoff role and a .730 slugging percentage for an OPS of 1.140. He enters today ranked fifth in the IL in best TPA/K ratio (11.17:1).

HOME IMPROVEMENT: Tonight the RailRiders bid for their first home series victory of the season. Since all of last season had the team living the life of nomads, a win would mark the franchise's first home series victory since taking two of three from Buffalo to close out 2011 from Sept. 4-5. The Sept. 4 games were part of a doubleheader. SWB has not taken a true three-game home series over a three-day span since besting Buffalo in two of three from April 13-15, 2011.

OFF THE RAILS: The RailRiders have scored first in 12 of their 15 games...Melky Mesa went 0-for-4 with a strikeout and an around-the-horn groundball double play on Sunday...He is 0-for-10 on the series...His 25 whiffs in 59 at-bats tie him with Toledo's John Lindsey for second in the league...Only the recently demoted first-rounder, Jared Mitchell formerly of Charlotte, has more strikeouts in the IL this season (27).

(NEARLY) DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE: Through eight openings in 2011, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre franchise averaged just 2,768 fans per home date. Through eight openings his season, the RailRiders have nearly doubled that number to 5,241 per game. Yesterday, despite whipping winds and a game-time temperature that was brushing with the 30s, a strong walk-up crowd pushed the game's attendance to 6,013 for the team's second-best showing this season.

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International League Stories from April 22, 2013


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