IL1 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB RailRiders Game Notes- April 6, 2018

April 6, 2018 - International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


Syracuse Chiefs (0-0) vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders (0-0)

Game 1 | April 6, 2018 | PNC Field | Moosic, PA

Radio: The Game 1440 - swbrailriders.com Airtime: 6:35 P.M.

PITCHING MATCH-UP

RH Austin Voth (No Record) vs. RH Chance Adams (No Record)

Voth: 4-12 record in 2017 with a 5.94 ERA between three levels (1-7, 6.38 w/ Syracuse)

Adams: Went 15-5 with a 2.45 ERA over 27 starts between two levels (135 K & 58 BB)

LEADING OFF: The RailRiders begin the 2018 season tonight against the Syracuse Chiefs. SWB finished 2017 with an 86-55 mark under Al Pedrique, who garnered International League Manager of the Year honors. The RailRiders will be managed by Bobby Mitchell in 2018; the club's 12th season as an affiliate of the New York Yankees. This season's schedule is set at 140 games, down from 142 last year, and now matches all other full-season, Minor League levels. The RailRiders will play 13 home games this month, 15 in May, 14 in June, 13 in July, 14 in August and one in September.

HIGH END TALENT: The initial RailRiders roster includes two of the top ten prospects in the Yankees system, according to Baseball America. Infielder Gleyber Torres is ranked first overall by BA while starting pitcher Chance Adams is fourth. Domingo German (16) and Cody Carroll (30) are also highly rated by the publication. 14 players saw game action for the RailRiders in 2017 and five are new to the organization. Baseball America had the Yankees system ranked second overall across baseball entering the 2018 season.

TAKING CHARGE: Bobby Mitchell takes over as manager for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. In Mitchell's last two seasons at the helm of the Double-A Trenton Thunder, the Thunder won 87 and 92 games respectively (185-103, .642), led the team to a berth in the Eastern League Championship series each year and was named 2017 Eastern League Manager of the Year. Mitchell appeared in 202 major league games over four seasons with the Dodgers and Minnesota Twins. He was a regular part of the outfield rotation for the Dodgers on their 1981 World Series Championship team.

GOOD CHANCE WE WIN: Chance Adams gets the call as the SWB Opening Day starter. The right-hander went 15-5 with a 2.45 earned run average between two levels last season. Adams joined the RailRiders on May 13 after going 4-0 for Trenton with a 1.03 ERA, striking out 23 over 35 innings. With SWB, he went 11-5 with 81 strikeouts in 115.1 innings and posted a team-best 2.89 ERA over 21 starts.

STAFF SHUFFLE: Skipper Bobby Mitchell will have a blend of new and returning coaches on his field staff this year. Tommy Phelps returns as the pitching coach; his third season with the RailRiders. Doug Davis, a Bloomsburg native, will shift to bullpen coach. Phil Plantier joins the Yankees organization this season as the club's hitting coach and Travis Chapman has been promoted to Triple-A as the team's defensive coach. Darren London is the athletic trainer while Brad Hyde returns as the RailRiders strength and conditioning coach.

THAT'S GREAT, BUT...: The Syracuse Chiefs enter their final season as an affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The Chiefs finished 2017 with a 54-87 record; last in the IL North and 32 games behind SWB. Syracuse has five of the Nationals top prospects according to Baseball America, including outfielder Victor Robles. Robles is the top player in the system and played 13 games for Washington last year. The roster also features pitcher Erik Feede (3), outfielder Andrew Stevenson (13), infielder Jose Marmolejos (18) and tonight's starter Austin Voth (26).

OPENING DAY HISTORY: In 2017, the RailRiders began the season on the road in Buffalo. They were postponed the first two nights of the season before dropping the opener to the Bisons 4-2. The game was played in front of 11,515 which was the largest home opener in RailRiders history and the second largest in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre history (4/3/2003 vs. Ottawa, 12,117).

OFF THE RAILS: Former manager Al Pedrique is now the first base coach for the Oakland A's while former hitting coach P.J. Pilittere is a co-hitting coach for the Yankees... Catcher Erik Kratz is a Pennsylvania native. He grew up in Telford, which is located 91 miles from Moosic... The RailRiders have won the IL North in each of the last three seasons.

AROUND THE ORGANIZATION: New York dropped a 5-2 final to Baltimore. Aaron Judge hit his second home run in the loss... Trenton beat Richmond 5-2. Erik Swanson struck out six in relief for the win... Tampa won its first game as the Tarpons, beating Lakeland 4-2. Estevan Florial has two hits and drove in a pair... Charleston fell 3-2 in their season opener at Lexington.

ON THE AIR: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders games can be heard on The Game 1400 AM, 1440 AM, 106.7 FM, 1340 AM and 100.7 FM throughout NEPA, online at swbrailriders.com and on RadioBold and TuneIn Radio Apps. Adam Marco and Adam Giardino will provide the call. All games are carried on MiLB.tv as well.

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International League Stories from April 6, 2018


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