Ben Gamel Cracks Second Home Run
Moosic, Pa. – A dominant pitching performance from Erik Johnson clinched the series for the Charlotte Knights with a 5-2 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees). The Knights took four of seven from the RailRiders (21-20) in the season set.
Johnson (4-3) went seven innings for Charlotte, striking out a season-high nine batters and surrendering just one run on six hits. Jaron Long (2-3) shouldered the loss for SWB after yielding a career-high 10 hits across seven innings. The Knights tallied four runs off Long.
Charlotte jumped to the early advantage with a run in the top of the first inning. Leury Garcia and Jason Coats opened the game with consecutive hits. Matt Davidson ripped a single to left that scored Garcia before Long could work out of the jam.
Tyler Colvin bashed a two-run home run to right field scoring Matt Tuiasosopo. Drew Garcia followed with a single and scored on a double by Jason Coats to push the lead out to 4-0.
The RailRiders were held off of the scoreboard by Johnson until the seventh inning. After Cole Figueroa reached base, Rob Segedin smoked an RBI-double to right-center to score the RailRiders’ first run.
The Knights got the run back in the eighth thanks to a triple by Trayce Thompson that brought around George Kottaras.
Ben Gamel capped the scoring when he crushed a line drive over the right field railing for his second home run of the year. Trailing 5-2 in the ninth, the RailRiders brought the tying run to the plate before reliever Eric Surkamp induced a routine fly to center that ended it.
The RailRiders kick off their series against the Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays) at PNC Field on Thursday night. Masahiro Tanaka (2-1, 3.22) comes to town for a rehab start with the RailRiders. He opposes RHP Dylan Floro (3-4, 4.37). First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. For tickets or more information, call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit the team’s website, www.swbrailriders.com.
– SWB RailRiders –
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