SWB RailRiders Game Notes- September 21, 2025
IL Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB RailRiders Game Notes- September 21, 2025

Published on September 21, 2025 under International League (IL)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (48-26, 86-60) at Buffalo Bisons (31-41, 61-84)

September 21, 2025 | Game 147 | Road Game 74 | Sahlen Field | First Pitch 12:05 P.M.

RH Kenta Maeda (5-7, 5.68) vs. LH Easton Lucas (2-3, 3.96)

Maeda: Allowed 4 R on 8 H over 6.0 IP in 9/14 Loss vs. LHV with 1 K & 1 BB (6-1 IronPigs)

Lucas: Allowed 1 R on 4 H over 2.2 IP on 9/17 vs. SWB with 2 K & 2 BB (6-1 RailRiders)

LAST TIME OUT- BUFFALO, NY - The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders dropped a 4-2 decision to the Buffalo Bisons on Saturday afternoon at Sahlen Field. The Bisons opened a two-run lead in the fifth and thwarted the RailRiders' comeback opportunities the remainder of the game.

The RailRiders opened the scoring in the top of the third. Duke Ellis singled, stole second and scored on a two-out single by J.C. Escarra. The Bisons quickly tied the game against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Jonatan Clase. Buffalo took a 2-1 edge in the bottom of the fourth on a double and an error that allowed Buddy Kennedy to cross, but Scranton/Wilkes-Barre responded with another two-out RBI single by Escarra, leveling the game at 2-2.

The Bisons regained the advantage with a two-run double from Anthony Santander off Rodriguez-Cruz in the bottom of the fifth for a 4-2 lead.

The RailRiders sent the tying run to the plate in the sixth and seventh and left the tying run on the bases in the eighth, but could not manage any further support.

Rodriguez-Cruz (0-1) allowed all four runs on eight hits over five innings in his Triple-A debut, striking out three and walking none. The right-hander finished his 2025 season with 176 strikeouts over three levels. CJ Van Eyk (4-6) earned the win with five innings of work, and Justin Bruihl earned his third save.

#CLINCHED- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has locked down the second-half title in the International League. Friday's win kept the RailRiders' lead at three games with two to go, eliminating Syracuse and pushing Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to the postseason for the first time since 2019.

ILCS- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre will travel to Jacksonville this week for a best-of-three International League Championship Series starting on Tuesday, September 23. The RailRiders and Jumbo Shrimp did not meet in 2025. The clubs split a set at PNC Field in 2023, and SWB swept a six-game series last season in Florida. The Triple-A National Championship Game is slated for 10:00 P.M. ET on September 27 in Las Vegas when the IL winner squares off against the Pacific Coast League champions.

MAEDA DAY- Right-hander Kenta Maeda makes the final start of the 2025 regular season this afternoon in Buffalo. The 37-year-old is 2-3 with a 5.26 ERA over seven starts for the RailRiders since signing in early August. Maeda allowed two runs on three hits over five innings of work on August 22 in a win at Buffalo. The veteran arm surrendered nine earned runs in an appearance on August 28 against Syracuse. Without that game, his ERA would stand at 3.38 while pitching for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

WHAT'S THE DIFF- As play starts today, the RailRiders have the best run differential in the International League. Over 146 games played, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has scored 141 more runs than they have allowed. Only Durham, Nashville and Toledo have scored over 100 runs more than they have allowed this season. At +96 in the second half, only the Mud Hens have a better run differential than the RailRiders since June 24.

TOP NOTCH- Eighty-six SWB wins this year are tied for fifth-most in a single season in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre franchise history, matching Al Pedrique's 2017 RailRiders squad. Dave Miley's 2010 playoff club captured 87 wins.

KING OF SWING- Jose Rojas matched Jorge Vasquez's club record of 32 home runs with a two-run shot on Friday night. Rojas enters play today with a .606 slugging percentage, which would smash Manager Shelley Duncan's 2008 franchise record of .577. Rojas is one RBI off of tying the franchise record of 106, set by Torey Lovullo in 1999.

FRESH FACE- New York has promoted #5 prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Rodriguez-Cruz, who was acquired from Boston along with International Bonus Pool money on December 11, 2024, combined for 26 appearances, 25 of which were starts, between the Renegades and the Patriots this season, going 11-7 with a 2.98 ERA. He added three strikeouts to his 2025 totals during his Triple-A debut on Saturday and finished with 176, trailing only Jonah Tong of the New York Mets, who finished with 179, for the most by a Minor League pitcher this season. Right-hander Bailey Dees was placed on the Development List on Saturday to open a roster spot.

BACK ON THE CHASE- LA Dodgers Minor Leaguer Ryan Ward homered twice at Tacoma on Thursday, so Spencer Jones' 35 total home runs this season stand as the second-most in Minor League Baseball, one off Ward's pace. Jones hit 16 for Somerset in 49 games and has 19 with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre over 66 games played. The 24-year-old has five multi-homer games this season, including three with the RailRiders.

ROAD WARRIORS- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is 42-30 on the road this season, the tenth 40-plus road win season in franchise history.

CLUTCH- Nearly half of Jose Rojas' 32 home runs have come in key situations this season. Four have tied games and 10 have been go-ahead home runs by the 31-year-old. Thirteen of 32 have been hit in the seventh inning or later.

AROUND THE ORGANIZATION- New York beat Baltimore 6-1. Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge homered to back Carlos Rodon in the win.

Check out the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Statistics

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International League Stories from September 21, 2025


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