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IL1 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB Game Notes

April 10, 2017 - International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


YESTERDAY: The RailRiders were on the wrong side of 4-3 and 9-6 scores in a doubleheader sweep defeat at the hands of the host Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays) on Sunday afternoon. The RailRiders were swept on the weather-shortened three-game series for the franchise's first 0-3 start since the inaugural RailRiders began the 2013 season at 0-4.

WHAT GOES UP: In the opener, the RailRiders blew leads of 2-0 and 3-2 with the final blow a two-run walk-off homer by Christian Lopes off of Ben Heller (0-1). Reliever Wil Browning (1-0) got the win for Buffalo.

OH NO, NOT AGAIN: The second affair saw SWB grab a 3-0 lead in the first inning with Dustin Fowler's two-run opposite-way homer the big blow. Buffalo responded with a six-run fourth as seven straight hits, mostly on the infield, chased lefty Tyler Webb. The RailRiders responded when Fowler launched another homer, a three-run game-tying blast to right for a 6-6 draw in the fifth. Jason Leblebijian hammered a two-run home run in the fifth to snap the tie and Dwight Smith singled home an insurance score in the sixth.

RISPY BUSINESS: Buffalo went 8-for-16 (.500) with men in scoring position in yesterday's doubleheader.

ALL GOOD THINGS: On Saturday, Buffalo snapped an eight-game losing skid against SWB. The RailRiders had not lost to the Bisons since July 7, 2016, a 6-5 final at PNC Field. SWB had won nine straight games at Coca-Cola Field and had not fallen in Buffalo since a 5-3 setback on May 2, 2016 when former SWB hurler Pat Venditte, now a Lehigh Valley IronPig, got the win in relief.

SEASON OPENERS: SWB has traditionally not fared well in season openers. Since it first moved to NEPA in 1989, the franchise has gone 10-19 when it was time to "Play Ball". The first-ever season-opening win did not come until year three for the team in 1991, a 9-2 triumph over Syracuse. SWB had claimed game one in both 2014 and 2015 against Syracuse, but lost last year's lid lifter to Rochester, 3-0. Saturday marked SWB's second-ever season opener against Buffalo. The first came in 2010, a 1-0 win for the then-SWB Yankees at PNC Field as Ivan Nova (6.0), Mark Melancon (2.0), Boone Logan (2.0), and Jonathan Albaladejo (1.0) combined on a six-hitter.

HOME OPENERS: The franchise has gone 12-16 in home openers, but after losses in five straight from 2003-07, the squad has won six of its last nine lid lifters in Moosic. Before tonight, SWB's only home opener against Lehigh Valley came against the inaugural IronPigs in 2008, a 4-0 shutout triumph. SWB's all-time wins leader, Kei Igawa, set the tone with six strong innings and combined with relievers Scott Patterson, Edwar Ramirez and Jose Veras on a one-hitter. Patterson lost the no-no immediately upon entry into the game. At the start of the seventh, he allowed a Brandon Watson single to center field. Igawa won a franchise-record 33 career games for SWB and in 2008 tied the team's single-season mark of 14 originally set by Joe Roa with his 14-0 campaign in 2002.

SECOND BANANA: In 2016, SWB posted the best-record in full-season MiLB at 91-52. The second-best record in the IL belonged to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs who claimed a wild-card berth into the playoffs at 85-58. The two IL North foes clashed in the first round of the Governors' Cup playoffs and the RailRiders advanced to the IL finals after the franchise's first postseason sweep, a three-game broom cleaning of the IronPigs. SWB never trailed in the series and outscored the IronPigs, 20-3.

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