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IL1 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB Game Notes

August 22, 2018 - International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE RAILRIDERS (65-59) vs. BUFFALO BISONS (58-65)

RHP Raynel Espinal (7-2, 3.32) vs. LHP Matt Tracy (1-1, 2.06)

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| Game No. 125 & 126 | August 22, 2018 | Coca-Cola Field | Buffalo, NY |

| First Pitch 6:00 p.m. | Pregame Show 5:00 p.m. |

SHEFF SERVES UP NEW ROLE: The top pitching prospect in the Yankees organization, LHP Justus Sheffield, made his bullpen debut for the RailRiders Tuesday night. In comments leading up to Tuesday's game Yankees GM Brian Cashman said "You'll see him pitching in New York whether it's as a rotation guy or out of the bullpen at some point I would expect in 2018. The stuff's electric. The ceiling and the upside is exciting and just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't diminish what we think of him. That's just timing is everything and when do we unwrap that and deploy that. Is it going to be before September. It just depends on how things shake out."

RAIN, RAIN...: The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders have been unable to catch a break at PNC Field this season. Not only have two games been cancelled (June 10 vs. Louisville; July 25 vs. Charlotte), but they have lost the most openings of any team in the International League this season. Five home dates remain over the final two weeks of the season, and the RailRiders have lost seven openings over the first 65 home dates of the year. In the rest of the league, 10-of-14 teams have lost four openings or fewer, including the Indianapolis Indians, Durham Bulls and Louisville Bats who have not lost any. Last season, the RailRiders lost only three openings and they have not lost more than four in any season since 2011 when the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees also lost seven openings. The tough-luck weather has dipped into road games, affecting Tuesday's series-opener with the Bisons.

...GO AWAY: Since the calendar turned to August, the RailRiders have had 10 home dates and 7-of-10 have featured a rain delay, postponement, cancelation or doubleheader. Dating back to mid-July, 10-of-16 home dates have featured some combination of weather-related alterations.

RACE TO THE FINISH: The Wild Card race in the International League is heating up as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (65-59) hit the homestretch of the 2018 season. With 16G to go, SWB finds itself 1.5 GB of the Columbus Clippers (68-59) and Indianapolis Indians (68-59) for the Wild Card lead. It's looking like a three-team race for the final playoff spot with the Norfolk Tides (66-60) also making a playoff push, tied with the RailRiders entering Wednesday night.

FORD REVVING UP: RailRiders INF Mike Ford began the 2018 season in Spring Training with the Seattle Mariners, and struggled out of the gate with SWB to start the year. He was batting .218 AVG/.299 OBP as of July 21, but has turned it around lately. In the 26G since he has hit .312 AVG (29-for-93)/.373 OBP (8 BB, HBP) to raise his season AVG to .252.

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