MOOSIC, Pa.- Tyler Austin continued terrorizing opposing hitters on Monday night and the bullpen was sharp for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) in a 6-4 loss to the Rochester Red Wings on Monday night at PNC Field. The Red Wings (3-1) have won 12 of the last 17 meetings with the RailRiders (2-3).
The Red Wings were tough on Conner Kendrick (0-1) in his Triple-A debut with SWB. They hit the southpaw for five runs on five hits over his three innings of work. A.J. Achter (1-0) picked up the win in relief for Rochester, dealing 1.1 scoreless frames, and Michael Tonkin recorded his second save of the young season.
Austin led the RailRiders’ offense with a 3-for-4 night and added two runs to RBI total of seven. Slade Heathcott and Cole Figueroa had two hits each. Danny Burawa, Diego Moreno and Brandon Pinder combined to pitch the final six innings for SWB, allowing a run on three hits while striking out nine.
SWB jumped in front early thanks to Austin’s fourth hit in his last five at-bats going back to Sunday. Against Red Wings starter Mark Hamburger, Rob Refsnyder reached on a two-out single. Kyle Roller worked a walk to setup Austin and the left fielder delivered with a line drive single to left-center. Cole Figueroa followed with a single to right that would have loaded the bases, but Austin was caught in a run-down between second and third for the final out.
Rochester responded with a pair of run in the top half of the second. Kendrick issued three walks, two coming with two out, and Aaron Hicks capitalized on the opportunity with a two-run single that put the Red Wings up 2-1.
Danny Ortiz opened the fourth stanza with a single and moved to third on a double by Jose Martinez. Jamers Beresford brought in Ortiz with a knock to chase Kendrick from the game. Burawa entered and induced a shallow fly out to left off the bat of Doug Bernier. But Hicks came through, again, for the Red Wings by lashing a two-run triple to the warning track in left-center. Martinez and Beresford scored easily for a 5-1 lead.
The RailRiders got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Austin Romine doubled and scored on a hit by Jonathan Galvez. However, the Red Wings responded in the fifth on a two-out, solo shot by Ortiz out to right.
SWB scored the final tallies in their half of the fifth. Heathcott led off the inning with a single, moved to second on a ground out and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With two away, Kyle Roller drew a walk and Austin produced his second RBI with a single. Figueroa followed with a knock to score Roller from second, cutting the deficit to two at 6-4.
The Red Wings’ bullpen held the RailRiders scoreless the rest of the way, limiting the club to one hit over the final 4.1 innings.
The RailRiders continue their series against the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins) Tuesday, April 14. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. at PNC Field. For more information please call (570) 969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.
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