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IL Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB RailRiders Game Notes - July 28, 2021

July 28, 2021 - International League (IL)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (45-24) vs. Syracuse Mets (24-48)

LHP Matt Krook (2-2, 4.50 ERA) vs. RHP Trey Cobb (1-2, 7.71 ERA)

| Game 70 | Road Game 36 | NBT Bank Stadium | Syracuse, NY | July 28, 2021 | First Pitch 6:35 p.m. |

ALVAREZ ON THE RISE: RailRiders infielder Armando Alvarez has been on a tear over his last nine games at the plate, batting .359/.375/.795 with four home runs and 11 RBIs. Of the 14 hits he has in this span, nine of them have gone for extra bases, with five doubles added to his home runs. He has raised his season batting average from .219 to .245, and his OPS has jumped 96 points from .648 to .744. In addition to his recent offensive spurt, Alvarez made a diving catch into the first base camera well on Tuesday night against Rochester which ended up as the No. 1 "Top Play" of the night on ESPN's SportsCenter.

FALLING BEHIND: The RailRiders have made a habit of notching comeback wins this season, but the flip side is that is predicated on the team falling behind in many games this season. Through 69 games this season, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has allowed the first run in 37 games, notching a 21-16 record in those contests. The RailRiders have been out-scored 79-65 (-14) in the first two innings of games this season, a shocking number considering the team is +111 in run differential this season, the second-best mark in Triple-A East (Durham, +156). Most of the damage has been done in the middle innings, with SWB sporting an impressive +92 run differential in innings four through six.

SWB DIGS THE LONG BALL: On Friday night the RailRiders set a new season high by hitting six home runs against the Rochester Red Wings in a 14-5 triumph at PNC Field. Armando Alvarez, Donny Sands, Thomas Milone, Andrew Velazquez (2x), and Frederick Cuevas all went deep for SWB on the night. It was the first career multi home run game for Velazquez, and Cuevas' dinger was his first above the High-A level in his career. The SWB franchise record for home runs in a game is seven, set on May 31, 1998 at Toledo. The RailRiders have hit 10 home runs in the first five games of the series.

TURN AROUND NOW SWITCH: As part of his two-homer performance on Friday night, Andrew Velazquez became just the second player in SWB franchise history to switch hit home runs in a game. He hit a home run right-handed against Matt Tomshaw in the fourth inning, and clubbed one left-handed against Ronald Peña in the sixth. Velazquez joined Darren Burton in the annals of franchise history with his switch-hit performance. Burton accomplished the rare feat on April 23, 1998 in a game at the Rochester Red Wings.

NO HITS FOR YOU!: Last Wednesday Luis Gil, Reggie McClain and Stephen Ridings combined to no-hit the Rochester Red Wings in an 8-0 victory. It was the first no-hitter thrown by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre under the Yankees affiliation (2007 - Present), and the first overall since Jeremy Cummings no-hit Rochester on Sept. 3, 2006. With the RailRiders having thrown a one-hitter on May 27 against the Buffalo Bisons, 2021 is the first season in franchise history to feature both a no-hitter and a one-hitter in the same season.

- The RailRiders no-hitter was the third thrown in Triple-A East this year. The Iowa Cubs have thrown two no-nos this year, using four pitchers to no-hit the Indianapolis Indians on May 9, and had three pitchers no-hit St. Paul on July 11.

- It was the first no-hitter for a Yankees Triple-A affiliate since 2002, when Adrian Hernandez, Bob Scanlan and Kevin Lovinger of the Columbus Clippers no-hit the Indianapolis Indians in a 15-1 win. The Clippers threw four no-hitters while affiliated with the Yankees from 1979 - 2006, including one by Mariano Rivera in 1995.

IT'S THE FINAL STRETCH (DA NA NA NA): In lieu of a traditional playoff in Triple-A Baseball, MLB announced last Wednesday that all Triple-A teams will compete in a 10-game postseason tournament called the Triple-A Final Stretch from Sept. 22 through Oct. 3. Each league will have a regular season champion, crowned for having the best record across 120 games, and a Final Stretch champion, crowned for having the best record in the added 10 games. Unlike any tournament you may be familiar with, the Triple-A Final Stretch has a set schedule of opponents and you continue to play even if you are eliminated from contention. MLB announced the RailRiders will play Syracuse from 9/22-26 at PNC Field and finish the Final Stretch at Rochester from 9/28-10/3. MLB also announced it will give a prize to the winners.

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