IL1 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB Game Notes

Published on July 10, 2014 under International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


YESTERDAY: A day of hope and optimism faded quickly as the RailRiders and Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox) fought to a doubleheader split Wednesday afternoon at PNC Field. The RailRiders took the opener, 7-2, before dropping the second game, 5-1. The Knights (38-56) won three times on the four-game set.

THAT'S A FIRST: Chris Leroux (2-2) started and won the opener while authoring his first career complete game. He carried a shutout into the seventh before two solo homers spoiled his donut bid. The former Winthrop star tied for the longest outing of his career at seven innings. He previously went seven in back-to-back nods for Indianapolis on Aug. 6 and 11 in 2012. Coincidentally enough, his first seven-inning performance also came against Charlotte when he was opposed by the Knights' victorious starter in yesterday's series finale, Dylan Axelrod. The RailRiders' only other complete game this season came courtesy of tonight's scheduled starter for the opener, Bruce Billings, in an April 8 loss at Rochester. Since coming back from the DL, Leroux has gone 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA and a .185 batting average against. That includes 12 strikeouts against five walks.

AS THE ROTATION TURNS: Leroux is the RailRiders' only starter that has lasted at least five innings since Shane Greene in the opener of the July 2 doubleheader at Buffalo. But Greene is currently in the bigs. The last active RailRider to start and last at least five innings - Billings on June 30 when he allowed seven runs on 12 hits over six frames and lost to Lehigh Valley. The last active SWB pitcher to start and win besides Leroux? Billings on June 6 versus Norfolk.

SOOO-LARTE...OH, OH!: Yangervis Solarte has notched a hit in each of his five games played with the RailRiders. Since reporting from the Bronx, he has gone 12-for-20 with four extra-base hits, five RBIs and three runs scored for slashes of .600/.619/.8503/1.469.

TOUGH TIMES: The RailRiders have lost eight of their last 11. Yesterday's twinbill split kept the team at a season-worst-tying seven games below .500. The last-place team entered today a season-worst 12.5 games out of first.

KNIGHTED: The high-scoring Charlotte series saw the Knights hit .362/.438/.582/1.020 with six of their league-best 109 home runs. SWB amassed a 5.91 ERA in the series and averaged 5.3 walks/9 IP.

THEY HAVE OUR NUMBER: The Red Wings have won 10 of the last 11 meetings between these teams. The RailRiders have not won a series against Rochester since this run began when SWB took two of the first three at PNC Field from July 8-10, 2013. This season the RailRiders have been outhit against Rochester .299-222 and outscored 40-22. The Red Wings own a 2.69 ERA in the head-to-head meetings while the RailRiders' number sits at 4.71. SWB leads the IL with its .274 average and ranks second in slugging at .415. Rochester ranks second in hitting at .271 and third in slugging at .404. The Red Wings also pace the circuit in team ERA (3.30), while the RailRiders rank fourth-worst (4.41).

OFF THE RAILS: Francisco Rondon allowed his second career Triple-A homer in the second affair...The first was hit by Russ Canzler, then with Norfolk, on June 22, 2013, also at PNC Field...Former Red Wing Antoan Richardson notched his team-best 20th steal yesterday...He has not been caught stealing in 43 attempts since May 28, 2013 while with Rochester against Lehigh Valley.

GAME TWO STARTING PREVIEW: A sandwich first-round pick in 2008 (44th overall), former Stanford star Jeremy Bleich departed Double-A pacing the Thunder with 55K (12GS, 4-5, 3.51). He struggled in his first 3GS with Trenton, (1-2, 7.62), but hurled much better over his final 9GS (3-3, 2.52). He earned EL POTW honors after his May 23 win at Richmond (7IP, 4H, 0R, 2BB, CH 10K). He missed part of 2010 and all of 2011 due to shoulder injury (labrum tear/surgery). His 2012 efforts won him Comeback Player of the Year honors from Jewish Baseball News. A compensation pick for losing Luis Vizcaino to Colorado, he carried a two-hitter through six innings in his Triple-A debut at Columbus. He has appeared in 20 innings with SWB and has not allowed a run in 14 of them.

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International League Stories from July 10, 2014


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