IL Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB RailRiders Game Notes - May 30, 2021

Published on May 30, 2021 under International League (IL)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


Buffalo Bisons (12-10) vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (16-6)

LHP Anthony Kay (MLB Rehab) vs. LHP Mike Montgomery (1-2, 7.56 ERA)

| Game 23 | Home Game 11 | PNC Field | Moosic, PA | May 30, 2021 | First Pitch 1:05 p.m. |

FAST OUT OF THE GATE: With 16 wins in 22 games, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders have kept themselves in elite company across minor league baseball. Entering play on Saturday there are only eight teams across minor league baseball with at least 16 wins, with only Durham and Nashville at that mark among Triple-A East teams. Nashville (AAA, MIL) has the best record in minor league baseball at 17-5 on the season, and is one of two teams to have recorded 17 wins (Durham). Overall, the Yankees have the best organizational record in baseball (61-30, .670), a full 4.5 games better than Kansas City (55-33, .625), who has the second-best record.

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 three games against Buffalo have been no exception. Six different SWB relievers combined to throw 13.0 shutout innings against the Bisons since the beginning of play on Wednesday. What's more, they've combined to allow just six baserunners -- two on hit batsmen (both by Adam Warren), one walk (issued by Kyle Barraclough) and three hits (all singles, two of which were infield hits). Incredibly, 43 Buffalo batters have managed to hit only six balls out of the infield against RailRiders relievers in this stretch, while striking out 17 times. The SWB bullpen ERA is down to 3.40 on the season, while the unit is averaging 11.63 K/9. That ranks as the 7th-best bullpen ERA in Triple-A East, and third-best in the Northeast Div. (Buffalo, 2.37; Worcester, 3.11).

DINGER ALERT: After shattering the SWB franchise record with 212 home runs in 2019 (previously 164 in 1998), the RailRiders are at it again, hitting 31 home runs in their first 22 games this season. The 31 round-trippers hit by SWB puts the club in a fifth place in Triple-A East with Charlotte. Durham leads the league with 42 long balls. The RailRiders are tied for 12th in minor league baseball in home runs, with Salt Lake (AAA, LAA) and Durham tied for the minor league lead. The long ball surge has been a true team effort, as only Chris Gittens and Trey Amburgey (t-25th, 4) rank in the top 40 in home runs in Triple-A East.

WALK-A-THON: Through 22 games this season, the RailRiders have drawn 117 walks, the second-most in all of Triple-A baseball, trailing only Gwinnett (129). No other team in the minors' highest level has taken more than 109 bases on balls (Lehigh Valley). Overall, the RailRiders are 11th in all of minor league baseball in walks, with Tampa (Low-A, NYY) leading the way with 147 walks. SWB's team .362 OBP is third in Triple-A East, and ranks t-11th across all levels of the minors. There are currently three teams in Triple-A East with team OBPs of .350 or higher. Buffalo (.344) has the fourth-best OBP of the 20-team league.

BUFFALO BLUES: The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders will only face the Buffalo Bisons 18 times this season, tied with Rochester for the least-played opponent of the season. 11 of those games take place in the 17-game stretch from May 25 through June 13, and then the teams do not face each other again until August 31. On that date the two squads begin a seven-game, six-day series at PNC Field. The RailRiders do not make a trip to Buffalo this season, with the Bisons playing their home games in Trenton while the Toronto Blue Jays are taking over Sahlen Field beginning on June 1 to play their American League games for the second straight season. The Blue Jays had been playing at TD Bank Park in Dunedin, Florida during April and May while Canada has not allowed them to play in Toronto due to international travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

THAT'S ALL THEY GOT, ONE HIT?: On Thursday, May 27, three Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders pitchers combined for a seven-inning one-hitter against the Buffalo Bisons. The trio of Brian Keller, Sal Romano, and Nick Goody did not allow a baserunner after the fourth inning, and combined to retire the final 11 Bisons batters. It was the first one-hitter thrown by the RailRiders since 2016, when Chad Green tossed a one-hitter at Gwinnett on July 14. Overall, it was the sixth one-hitter in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre franchise history. The RailRiders have thrown four no-hitters in franchise history.

+ The first one-hitter in SWB history came in the team's inaugural 1989 season, when Pat Combs threw one on August 19 at Pawtucket.

+ The SWB Red Barons got two one-hitters in the 1991 season, the first from Andy Ashby on July 22 vs Richmond and the second authored by John Burgos on August 16 vs Columbus. These were the first two one-hitters thrown by SWB at Lackawanna County Stadium.

+ It was 11 years until the next SWB one-hitter, with Brett Myers allowing one base hit to Toledo on April 25 at home. This was the last one-hitter in the Red Barons era (1989-2006), and also the last home one-hitter thrown by SWB until Thursday night.

+ Chad Green had the first one-hitter under the Yankees affiliation (2007 - Present) in 2016 at Coolray Field against the Gwinnett Braves.

+ Thursday night represented the first combined one-hitter and also the first seven-inning one hitter in franchise history.

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