SWB RailRiders Game Notes- August 15, 2025
IL Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB RailRiders Game Notes- August 15, 2025

Published on August 15, 2025 under International League (IL)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


Indianapolis Indians (26-16, 68-48) at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (30-12, 68-46)

August 15, 2025 | Game 115 | Home Game 59 | PNC Field | First Pitch 6:35 P.M.

RH Johan Oviedo (0-0, 2.08) vs. RH Kenta Maeda (3-5, 5.40)

Oviedo: Allowed 1 R on 3 H over 3.2 IP with 8 K & 0 BB in 8/09 ND vs. OMA (10-4 OMA)

Maeda: Allowed 1 R (0 ER) over 6.0 IP in 8/09 Loss @ LHV with 7 K & 0 BB (3-0 IronPigs)

LAST TIME OUT- MOOSIC, PA (August 14, 2025) - The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders dropped a 9-6 decision to the Indianapolis Indians on Thursday night at PNC Field. The RailRiders led throughout until an Indians' four-run eighth inning outburst pushed Indianapolis in front to stay.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre jumped on Indianapolis starter Nick Dombkowski for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Jose Rojas doubled in Jorbit Vivas and Bryan De La Cruz singled home Rojas for the early lead. After the Indians halved the deficit against MLB rehabber Ryan Yarbrough with a solo home run in the top of the second, the RailRiders answered with a run on a force out for a 3-1 advantage. Indianapolis evened the game at three in the top of the fourth with a pair of runs off Fernando Cruz, who was also making a rehab appearance. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, however, regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. Braden Shewmake led off the frame with a triple and scored on a double from Duke Ellis for a 4-3 edge. A Jase Bowen run-scoring double off Sean Boyle in the top of the fifth tied the game at four, but Rojas and the RailRiders quickly responded in the home half. After an infield single from Spencer Jones, Rojas lined his 22nd home run of the year into the Indy bullpen in left for a 6-4 lead. The Indians cut the RailRiders' lead to one in the sixth. Indianapolis took the lead with a nine-batter eighth inning, scoring four runs on six singles, including four consecutive run-scoring hits, for a 9-6 lead. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth but could not cap a comeback.

Boyle (7-9) took the loss, surrendering the final six runs of the game on nine hits in 4.1 innings. Sean Sullivan (2-2) garnered the win with three innings of relief work and Dauri Moreta earned his first save.

SECOND SEASON CHASE- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is level with Syracuse for the second-half title with 33 games to go. The RailRiders and Mets meet for six games from August 26 through 31 at PNC Field. The first tie-breaker is head-to-head record within the given half.

OLD FRIENDS- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre hosts Indianapolis, the top affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, at PNC Field this week. Prior to Tuesday, the RailRiders had not faced the Indians since 2019. The all-time series dates back to the 1989 season when Indianapolis was in the American Association. The Indians bested the Red Barons in 10 of 17 meetings during the Triple-A Alliance era. Since Indianapolis joined the International League in 1998, the Red Barons/SWB Yankees/RailRiders have gone 92-77 in the series. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre holds a 51-43 series edge at home.

RETURNING TO THE FRAY- New York has re-signed Andrew Velazquez on a Minor League contract. The infielder signed a MiLB contract during the off-season and hit .244 for the RailRiders over 87 games with a team-high 23 stolen bases before opting out on August 3. Infielder Jake Gatewood was transferred to Somerset in a countermove to open a roster spot for Velazquez.

DAZZLING DEBUT- The Yankees signed right-hander Kenta Maeda to a Minor League contract on August 4 and the veteran arm made his first appearance for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on August 9 in Allentown. Maeda's debut was a quality start, the 16th of the year by a RailRiders' arm. The 37-year-old limited the IronPigs to an unearned run over six innings with seven strikeouts.

WORKING THEIR WAY BACK- Ryan Yarbrough and Fernando Cruz joined the RailRiders on MLB Rehab Assignments on Thursday. Yarbrough was placed on the 15-Day Injured List retroactive to June 20, 2025, with a right oblique strain. Yarbrough worked three innings on 37 pitches last night, allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts. Cruz was placed on the 15-Day Injured List retroactive to June 28, 2025, with a left oblique strain. Cruz was tagged for two runs on 21 pitches over four batters faced.

CLUBHOUSE LEADER- Jose Rojas hit his team-best 22nd home run of the season last night. 2025 marks the fourth time Rojas has reached 20 or more home runs in a season in his eight-year Minor League affiliated career and the third straight season stateside where he has reached the mark (2022 & 2024 prior).

COWBOY UP- Duke Ellis has 14 multi-hit games this season, 13 of which have occurred in the second half. The outfielder is hitting .462 this month over 12 games played with seven multi-hit contests. Since the second half started, Ellis has also stolen 22 bases in 24 attempts.

WELCOME BACK- The Yankees have signed catcher Rob Brantly to a Minor League contract and assigned him to the RailRiders. Brantly was released by Miami on August 4, having appeared in three games for the Marlins and 12 for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp this season. Brantly spent 84 days on Miami's Injured List this season with a lat strain. The 36-year-old backstop played in 127 total games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2021 and 2022, hitting .277 with 10 home runs and 65 runs batted in. He sits two games shy of 1,000 in his Minor League career as play begins tonight.

SERIES STUFF- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre took four of seven in Allentown last week and has won or split 11 consecutive series since going 1-4 in Nashville from May 21 through 24. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has a league-best 45-19 record since the start of the Worcester series on May 27.

AROUND THE ORGANIZATION- New York was idle Thursday and starts a series in St. Louis tonight... Somerset fell 3-2 at Portland. Dylan Jasso and Garrett Martin gave the Patriots a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Sea Dogs walked it off in the ninth... Hudson Valley throttled Aberdeen 10-1. Dillon Lewis homered and drove in half of the Renegades runs... Tampa split a twinbill with Dunedin, winning 4-1 in game one and dropping the nightcap 16-7.

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International League Stories from August 15, 2025


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