IL1 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB Game Notes

Published on May 30, 2016 under International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


YESTERDAY: Consistent rain and a foreboding forecast combined to postpone Sunday's scheduled series finale for the RailRiders and host Norfolk Tides at Harbor Park. The teams will make it up when Norfolk visits PNC Field in August.

FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME: With wins in the only two games played during the visit, both shutouts, the RailRiders secured the SWB franchise's first sweep at Harbor Park in the Yankees era, and the franchise's first series win there since taking two of three in another rain-shortened set from Aug. 10-13, 2009.

LAST TIME OUT: In his first start since his sophomore year of college, lefty Tyler Webb set the tone with four scoreless innings and a career-high-tying six strikeouts as his RailRiders shut out the Tides at Harbor Park on Saturday night, 2-0. The RailRiders' league-high-tying eighth shutout win was also the Tides' league-worst 10th shutout loss.

RECORD PACE: Webb became the team's 13th different starting pitcher, putting the team on pace to use 37 different starters. Last year's team tied the IL record with 24 different starters. The squad is also on pace to record 23 shutouts on the season. That would shatter the franchise record of 15 set by the 2003 Red Barons.

GETTING HIGGY WITH IT: Catcher Kyle Higashioka gave the RailRiders the only run they would need with his first Triple-A home run, a first-pitch job to left in the third inning off starter Joe Gunkel (1-3). His first two starts behind the plate with SWB this season have each been shutout wins. He entered 2016 as a .233 career hitter before slashing .286/.338/.437/.775 in 34 games as the primary catcher for Double-A Trenton to start this season.

ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMIN: Ben Gamel ended the season's first month with a .321 average after a two-hit day and a homer at Rochester on April 30. He then entered a .155 (9-for-58, 12K) funk over his next 14 Triple-A games. In four games played since, he has gone 7-for-17 (.412) with a homer, three RBIs and five runs scored. He went 1-for-4 with his team-best ninth steal and a run scored on Saturday.

GUESS WHO'S BACK?: In his first Triple-A game in a dozen days, Rob Refsnyder started at third base as the three-hole hitter on Saturday. He went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk. A .190 hitter with SWB after play on April 26 versus Lehigh Valley, he has since hit .384/.416/.548/.964 (28-for-73) in 19 Triple-A games. In his one MLB game this season, he went 1-for-3 with a two-run double in a 5-1 win at Oakland on May 21. He is a career .304 hitter in the big leagues.

KINGS OF THE NORTH: The defending division champion RailRiders entered today in sole possession of first place in the North, tied in the loss column with Syracuse. Al Pedrique's team outright leads the IL in wins (29) and winning percentage (.580). The club has won 12 of its last 16.

RUNNING OF THE BULLS: The RailRiders swept the Bulls at Durham last season, outscoring them 26-12 over the four games. SWB's first sweep at Durham since taking all four in 2012. At 5-3 overall, the 2015 unit also posted the club's first season-series victory over Durham since the 2012 squad also went 5-3.

OFF THE RAILS: Norfolk owns Triple-A's worst record at 17-33 and has not scored in 24 straight innings...SWB, which improved to a season-best eight games above .500 on Saturday, has not allowed a run in 22 consecutive frames...The club tossed a season-high 28 straight scoreless innings from April 12-14, a run that included its only other set of back-to-back shutout wins, at Pawtucket on April 13 and versus Syracuse on April 14 in 11 innings...All seven of Norfolk's hits on the series were singles...That included three on Saturday night, two on the infield...Norfolk's Ron Johnson managed his 626th career game for the Tides on Saturday, breaking a tie with current Buffalo skipper Gary Allenson for the franchise record...At 25.8, Durham stands tied with Rochester for the second-youngest group of position players in the IL, trailing only Indianapolis (25.3)...The Bulls' offense ranks worst in the IL in runs (3.02/game), batting average (.227), on-base percentage (.300), slugging percentage (.332) and strikeouts (467)...Durham pitchers have allowed an IL-high 45 homers and have a league-low nine saves, but lead the loop in K/9IP (9.3) and K/BB ratio (3.18).

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International League Stories from May 30, 2016


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