IL1 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB Game Notes

Published on May 11, 2013 under International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


THE GRANDY MAN CAN: In his second rehab game, Curtis Granderson belted a tie-breaking home run that proved a game-winner as the RailRiders beat the Gwinnett Braves in last night's series opener, 5-3.

DAS BOOT: After allowing the first four batters he faced to reach base, including a three-run homer by Joey Terdoslavich, Chris Bootcheck faced one over the minimum en route to his fifth quality start. He allowed Ernesto Mejia to reach on a leadoff double in the fourth before picking him off and applying the tag in a 1-6-5-4-1 rundown that ended with a matador-like tag. Terdoslavich singled with two outs and two strikes in the sixth, but Mejia flied out. Bootcheck, who entered with wins in each of his prior four starts, allowed three runs over six innings. The team is 6-0 with him on the starting bump.

BACK-UP BACKSTOP: Jeff Farnham walked twice and scored as the team's nine-hole hitter. The team is 4-1 when he starts behind the plate and the team's ERA is 2.08 compared to 3.13 with anyone else wearing the tools of ignorance.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: The RailRiders played error-free baseball last night in wet conditions. Dave Miley's team leads the IL in fielding percentage (.984) and has made a league-low 19 errors in 33 games. Dan Johnson paces all first baseman with a .995 fielding percentage, making just one miscue in 190 total chances. Melky Mesa is listed as the top fielding outfielder in this morning's rankings. He has not made a mistake in 77 total chances.

STOP, THIEVES!: Thanks to the pickoff/caught stealing of Mejia last night, the RailRiders have stalled 15 would-be base stealers in 35 tries. That makes for the top mark in the IL at .429 efficiency. Rochester is second at .400 even. Six teams are below .260.

THE MELK MAN: Mesa entered last night in an 0-for-15 funk and second in the minors with 53 strikeouts. He finished the game 3-for-4 with a run scored. The prospect was a .306 hitter after his prior three-hit game on April 18. Things spiraled from there, as he hit .157 (11-for-70) with 34 strikeouts until last night.

CALL IT A COMEBACK: Last night's rally from an early 3-0 hole made for the team's biggest come-from-behind win of the season. It had previously only rallied from single-score deficits. On the season, just five of SWB's 19 wins have come in games it has trailed by any margin.

EARLY BIRD DENIED: The RailRiders had won just twice in 10 games when the opponent scored first until last evening's series opener.

UNLUCKY NUMBER: Gwinnett has lost 13 in a row. That run includes all five of the club's clashes with the RailRiders this season. The G-Braves have been held to three runs or less in all but one of the games and outscored 73-29 during the slide. Over their last 15 games, they have plated two tallies or fewer 12 times.

WHAT A RELIEF: For the third time as a pro and the first time as a RailRider, Dellin Betances pitched out of the bullpen in the win. He tossed five no-hit innings in a winning start at Gwinnett on Sunday, and fired 2.1 scoreless and hitless innings of bridge relief last night. Of his 124 career outings, 122 had come as a starter. The exceptions were a rehab appearance in the GCL in 2008 and his MLB debut in 2011. However, all eight of his appearances in the prestigious Arizona Fall League this off-season came in relief, along with a 5.25 ERA and 1-3 record.

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International League Stories from May 11, 2013


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