IL Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB RailRiders Game Notes - June 4, 2021

Published on June 4, 2021 under International League (IL)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


Lehigh Valley IronPigs (14-13) vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (18-7)

LHP Bailey Falter (1-0, 1.93 ERA) vs. RHP Deivi García (1-0, 5.17 ERA)

| Game 26 | Home Game 14 | PNC Field | Moosic, PA | June 4, 2021 | First Pitch 6:35 p.m. |

FAST OUT OF THE GATE: With 18 wins in 25 games, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders have kept themselves in elite company across minor league baseball. Entering play on Friday there are only 11 teams across minor league baseball with at least 18 wins, with only Nashville, Durham and Omaha at that mark among Triple-A East teams. Nashville (AAA, MIL) has the best record in minor league baseball at 21-5 on the season, and is one of only two teams with 20 wins. Overall, the Yankees have the best organizational record in baseball (69-33, .676), a full 2.5 games better than Baltimore (66-35, .653), who has the second-best record.

A WALK IN THE PARK: Since his promotion from Double-A Somerset, infielder Hoy Park has been a hitting machine for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. After a 2-for-4 performance on Thursday, Park is hitting .362/.474/.638 with 4 doubles, 3 home runs and 9 RBIs in just 13 games played. In 113 games with Trenton in 2019, Park totaled three home runs, and is already almost halfway to his career-high of 7 HR (2017 with Charleston and Tampa). Signed as an international free agent in 2014, Park already has five multi-hit games with the RailRiders, including a pair of three-hit contests. He has reached base safely in 12 games and recorded a hit in 10 of his baker's dozen contests.

WE'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER BASE... OH WAIT: Entering play on Friday night two Scranton/Wilkes-Barre players carry 10-game on-base streaks. Outfielders Estevan Florial and Trey Amburgey have both reached base safely at least once in 10 consecutive games played. However, their on-base percentages during their respective streaks are starkly different. Florial has reached base at a .298 clip in his last 10 games, while Amburgey checks in at .462. The longest on-base streak for a RailRider this season belongs to Chris Gittens who reached safely in 11 straight games from 5/4-16. The SWB franchise record for longest on-base streak belongs to Brandon Drury, who reached safely in 32 straight games in the 2018 season.

BULLISH ON THE 'PEN: The RailRiders bullpen has been the backbone of the pitching staff in the early part of the season and the last six games have been. SWB relievers have combined to allow just two runs in 30.2 innings (0.59 ERA) against the Bisons and IronPigs since the beginning of play last Wednesday. What's more, they've combined to allow just 19 baserunners -- two on hit batsmen (both by Adam Warren), seven walks and 10 hits (nine singles, two of which were infield hits). The SWB bullpen ERA is down to 3.06 on the season, while the unit is averaging 11.93 K/9. That ranks as the second-best bullpen ERA in Triple-A East behind only Buffalo (2.32).

WALK-A-THON: Through 24 games this season, the RailRiders have drawn 139 walks, the second-most in all of Triple-A baseball, trailing only Gwinnett (152). No other team in the minors' highest level has taken more than 129 bases on balls (Lehigh Valley). Overall, the RailRiders are tied for 11th in all of minor league baseball in walks, with Tampa (Low-A, NYY) leading the way with 171 walks. The top four teams in walks all play in the Low-A Southeast, which is using an automated balls and strikes (ABS) system this season. SWB's team .365 OBP is second in Triple-A East, and ranks eighth across all levels of the minors. There are currently four teams in Triple-A East with team OBPs of .350 or higher. Lehigh Valley (.340) has the seventh-best OBP of the 20-team league. Among qualified hitters, the RailRiders boast Chris Gittens (2nd, .500) and Socrates Brito (41st, .348) in the top 50 in OBP in Triple-A East.

THREE DOZEN SIDES OF BACON: The COVID-19 pandemic has created one of the most unusual season schedules in the history of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre franchise. With the season beginning a full month later than traditional, all teams in Triple-A East will play 120-game schedules. The RailRiders, along with the rest of the Northeast Division teams, will exclusively play teams within the division. This leads to a schedule where SWB plays the rival Lehigh Valley IronPigs an unprecedented 36 times. For perspective, the RailRiders play the Rochester Red Wings and the Buffalo Bisons a combined 36 times. The RailRiders currently lead the 2021 IronRail Series 6-3.

BIG TEN: The RailRiders' 10-2 win over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Wednesday was the fourth time this season that the Baby Bombers have scored at least 10 runs in a ballgame this year in 24 games. Before Wednesday night, the last time the RailRiders had accomplished the feat was on May 18 at Rochester in an 11-6 win. It also marked the first time that SWB scored double-digits at PNC Field this season, having also done so twice in the opening series of the season at Syracuse.

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