IL1 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB Game Notes

Published on July 18, 2014 under International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


EXHIBITION THAT COUNTS: The home run derby was played earlier this week in Durham. But the Charlotte Knights played their first game out of the All-Star break like it was still exhibition time. The Knights bombed six home runs off RailRiders pitching. Four of those homers came against starter Bryan Mitchell (0-1), who had never allowed more than seven home runs in a season, much less four in a game. It all added up to a 9-5 loss for the RailRiders who fell to 1-4 against the Knights and 7-14 against the IL South.

GOT HEEM: Antoan Richardson leads the RailRiders with 20 steals placing him 4th in the IL and 2nd on the Yankees' farm. Last night, he was caught stealing for the first time in 44 attempts since May 28, 2013 while with Rochester against Lehigh Valley. He had been successful in 43 straight steal tries until Charlotte's Josh Phegley, the league leader in caught stealing efficiency, got him at second base in the third inning. Phegley has nabbed 33 of 70 would-be base stealers for a 47% rate. Richardson still went 2-for-3 with a bruise and a run scored to continue his hot run of late. In 10 games since he was activated from the DL he has hit .400 (12-for-30) with three RBIs and three walks (.471 OBP). He has hit safely in a personal season-best seven straight games (.526, 10-for-19). The streak began with a two-hit showing against Charlotte the Sunday before last when he made his pro pitching debut with a scoreless and hitless inning against the IL's top power club.

HEATING UP: Austin Romine went 1-for-4 as the team's starting first baseman. He has hit safely in eight of his last nine games going 13-for-30 (.433) with three extra-base hits and four RBIs. The spurt has shot his batting average up by 33 points to a season-best .245. Four of those games have come with the career catcher at first base. He had played the position just once before on his career when he got the nod at first on June 24 versus Rochester.

ON A ROLL: Kyle Roller belted his ninth SWB home run on a two-hit night. He had entered the contest with an .063 batting average over his prior five games played (1-for-16, 7K). He has hit much better on the road (.322/.409/.508/.917) than he has at PNC Field (.218/.307/.426/.733).

OFF THE RAILS: HOME RUN EDITION: Roller has hit 18 combined home runs between Double-A Trenton and SWB, placing him among MiLB's top 20...Before Charlotte belted six home runs last night, the highest total the RailRiders had allowed in a game this season was three done three times, most recently by the Knights on July 7...The most home runs hit by the RailRiders in a game this season, five, came at Charlotte's expense on July 6 at PNC Field...Andy Wilkins became the first opponent to hit multiple home runs in a game against the RailRiders in 2014...He also lifted his season-long total to 18 while teammate Matt Davidson went yard once for his 18th...The duo shares the International League lead as each man passed last year's SWB home run leader, Dan Johnson, who had 17 with Buffalo before Toronto called him up a week ago today...Charlotte leads the IL with 123 home runs...Toledo entered today 2nd in the league with just 85...Last year's RailRiders paced the IL with 133 homers all season...The Knights have hit 73 of their homers (59%) at home in two fewer at-bats (H-1,657, A-1,659)...Charlotte has allowed a league-worst 99 homers with 60 (61%) of them coming in uptown Charlotte at BB&T BallPark.

DOWN THE STRETCH: The RailRiders have 46 games left with 25 of those games coming at home. Thanks to this eight-game road trip out of the break, the RailRiders do not play at PNC Field again until July 25. That starts a 10-game homestand and a span with 18 out of 20 games in Moosic for Dave Miley's team.

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International League Stories from July 18, 2014


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