SWB RailRiders Game Notes - May 4, 2021

May 4, 2021 - International League (IL)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release

syracuse mets (0-0) vs. scranton/wilkes-barre railriders (0-0)

RHP Jordan Yamamoto (First Start) vs. LHP Mike Montgomery (First Start)

BACK IN THE SWB GROOVE: When the RailRiders take the field tonight against the Syracuse Mets, it will represent the team's first game played since September 7, 2019, a span of 604 days. To put that in perspective, here are a few events that have taken place since the last RailRiders game: The Houston Astros sign stealing scandal was revealed by Evan Drellich and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, minor league baseball came under control of MLB, and the size of the bases used in Triple-A baseball was changed from 15" square to 18" square. The 2020 MiLB season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the first time since the founding of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues in 1901 that there was no minor league baseball played in a year.

PANDEMIC ADJUSTMENTS: 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 the Triple-A East League 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 Syracuse Mets 24 times throughout the season as part of four six-game series. The most common opponent for the RailRiders this season is the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, who are scheduled for an unprecedented 36 games.

CALL IT A COMEBACK: The last time SWB and Syracuse faced each other was in the memorable Game 141 of the 2019 season, when the RailRiders completed the Miracle on Montage Mountain. Trailing 7-1 entering the bottom of the 7th and having just one hit to that point off starting pitcher Ervin Santana, the RailRiders scored five times to make it a 7-6 deficit. When Syracuse responded with six runs in the top of the 8th inning it seemed as if the RailRiders' fate was sealed, but instead they plated a season-best eight runs in an inning and grabbed a 14-13 lead en route to a win. Fittingly, this game was the final regular season game ever played in the International League, a circuit which began play in 1884 but has been disbanded and reconstituted as the Triple-A East League.

THROW OUT THE RECORD BOOK: The 2019 season was one for the record books in Triple-A baseball, and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders were no exception. Here is a look at the team and individual offensive club records that fell during the last season where games were played:

Most HR in a season by a lefty: Mike Ford, 23 HR Old record -- Eric Valent, 21 HR (2001)

Most HR in a month: Logan Morrison, 11 HR (June) Old record -- 2x, Last: W. Magee, Jr., 10 HR (July 1998)

Most R scored in a season: 786 R Old record -- 746 R (1998)

Most RBI in season: 741 RBI Old record -- 695 RBI (1998)

Most HR in a season: 212 HR Old record -- 164 HR (1998)

Most HR at home in a season: 109 HR Old record -- 61 HR (2008)

Grand Slams, season: 8 GS Old record -- 5 GS (2x, Last: 2005)

Most Extra-Base Hits in a season: 530 XBH Old record -- 488 XBH (1998)

Total Bases in a season: 2,282 Total Bases Old record -- 2,190 Total Bases (1998)

Highest slugging percentage: .484 SLG Old record -- .449 SLG (1998)

Highest on-base percentage: .351 OBP Old record -- .349 OBP (1997)

VETERANS DAY: The RailRiders 31-man Break Camp roster is one of the most veteran-laden in recent club history, featuring a whopping 19 players with MLB Service Time and 3,523 total games played in MLB. Derek Dietrich (746 G) has played in the most MLB games on the roster, while Luis García (326 G) narrowly edges out Adam Warren (323 G) for the most pitching appearances.

Check out the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Statistics

International League Stories from May 4, 2021

Kingery walk-off gives Pigs first win in 2021 - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
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Jeffers Homers, But Saints First Game as a Triple-A Affiliate Doesn'T Go as Planned in 8-2 Loss - St. Paul Saints
Baseball in Syracuse Returns with Opening Day Mets Victory over RailRiders, 5-2, on Tuesday Night - Syracuse Mets
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