SWB RailRiders Game Notes- August 16, 2025
IL Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB RailRiders Game Notes- August 16, 2025

Published on August 16, 2025 under International League (IL)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


Indianapolis Indians (27-16, 69-48) at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (30-13, 68-47)

August 16, 2025 | Game 116 | Home Game 60 | PNC Field | First Pitch 6:05 P.M.

RH Bubba Chandler (5-5, 3.82) vs. RH Brendan Beck (5-1, 4.67)

Chandler: Allowed 3 R on 6 H over 4.0 IP with 3 K & 2 BB in 8/10 Loss vs. OMA (6-1 Storm Chasers)

Beck: Allowed 4 R on 6 H over 5.0 IP in 8/10 Win @ LHV with 2 K & 2 BB (9-7 RailRiders)

LAST TIME OUT- MOOSIC, PA (August 15, 2025) - The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders lost to the Indianapolis Indians 6-5 in ten innings on Friday night at PNC Field. Down two runs in the eighth, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre tied the game but could not complete the comeback, falling in extras.

Indianapolis opened the scoring in the top of the second against RailRiders starter Kenta Maeda when Matt Frazier scored on an Alika Williams sacrifice fly for a 1-0 edge. The RailRiders took the lead in the home half of the frame off Indians starter Johan Oviedo. Jeimer Candelario golfed a solo home run to right field to even the contest at one. Braden Shewmake bunted his way aboard, stole second, reached third on an error, and scored on a balk to give Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a 2-1 lead. Jose Rojas blasted his team-leading 23rd home run to start the fourth, his third homer in as many days, putting the RailRiders ahead two. After putting a pair on, Ji Hwan Bae tied the game on a two-out, two-run triple, and a Nick Yorke RBI base hit gave the Indians a 4-3 edge. Indianapolis added to the advantage in the sixth after Frazier crossed on an Alika Williams RBI force out to pull ahead two scores. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre tied the game in the bottom of the eighth. Jorbit Vivas led off the frame with a single, and Yankees #26 Prospect T.J. Rumfield doubled to center. With two in scoring position, Yankees #4 Prospect Spencer Jones plated a run with an RBI groundout, cutting the deficit to one. Indians' reliever Wilkin Ramos balked home Rumfield to square the game at five. Indianapolis recaptured the advantage 6-5 in the top of the tenth, plating extra-inning runner Nick Solak on a Frazier single.

Jake Bird (1-1) pitched 1.1 innings, allowing one run in the loss. Jack Little (1-0) pitched one inning to earn the win. Eddy Yean was credited with his seventh save.

SECOND SEASON CHASE- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is level with Syracuse for the second-half title with 32 games to go. The RailRiders and Mets meet for six games from August 26 through 31 at PNC Field. Indianapolis sits in third place and travels to Syracuse next week after its series against the RailRiders concludes. 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 92-78 in the series. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre holds a 51-44 series edge at home.

THREE IN A ROW- Jose Rojas has homered in three straight games, becoming the second RailRider to accomplish the feat this season. Everson Pereira hit home runs on July 18, 19 and 20 at Worcester. The last Scranton/Wilkes-Barre player to hit a home run in four consecutive games was Estevan Florial during the 2023 season, launching homers in three straight games at Charlotte from May 18 through 21 and game one of a series at home against Worcester on May 23. Rojas now has 23 this season, marking the fourth time he 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).

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.

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.

COWBOY UP- Duke Ellis has 14 multi-hit games this season, 13 of which have occurred in the second half. The outfielder is hitting .442 this month over 14 games played with seven multi-hit contests. Since the second half started, Ellis has also stolen 23 bases in 25 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.

AROUND THE ORGANIZATION- New York beat St. Louis 4-3. Jazz Chisholm, Jr. drove in a pair, helping back Luis Gil to his first 2025 win... Somerset dropped another 3-2 final at Portland. Cole Gabrielson and Brendan Jones drove in the Patriots' runs... Hudson Valley topped Aberdeen 5-2. Kaeden Kent hit his first home run for the 'Gades... Tampa fell 7-6 in ten innings to Dunedin. Marshall Toole hit a game-tying home run in the top of the ninth, only to see the Tarpons allow the extra-inning runner to score in the tenth.

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International League Stories from August 16, 2025


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