Allentown, Pa. – Trailing 4-3 in the seventh inning, Jose Pirela belted a two-run shot to left that put the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders up to stay in a 7-5 win over Lehigh Valley on Saturday night at Coca-Cola Park. Ramon Flores pushed the advantaged to 7-4 with a two-run blast to right in the ninth. The RailRiders (40-30) even the series against the IronPigs (27-44) and take a 3-2 edge in the “Iron-Rail Series.”
James Pazos (1-0) took home the win in pitching 1.2 innings in relief. The southpaw surrendered a two-run single to Gabriel Lino in the sixth inning. Jose Ramirez yielded a run in the ninth, but struck out Chase d’Arnaud swinging to notch his team-leading ninth save. Anthony Vasquez (3-2) suffered the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits over 6.2 innings.
The RailRiders opened a 2-0 lead in the first inning on run-scoring hits by Austin Romine and Kyle Roller. The IronPigs battled back to knot the score with a tally in the bottom of the first and second.
Playing even through the fifth, SWB took the advantage back in the top of the sixth. Rob Refsnyder singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. Flores worked a walk and the pair was safe on a double-steal to move into scoring position. After an intentional walk to Romine, Roller bounced into a fielder’s choice to score Refsnyder.
Russ Canzler singled with one out in the last of the sixth and moved to second when Cord Phelps reached on a fielding error at third. With two out, Lino bounced a single inside first to plate both for a 4-3 IronPigs lead.
Pirela quickly followed with his second home run as RailRiders this year. Ali Castillo scored on the deep fly off Vasquez. Flores launched his out to right off reliever Paul Clemens and scored Refsnyder.
The three-game series concludes at 1:35 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. Right-hander Luis Severino (2-0, 2.91) will get the ball against Lehigh Valley right-hander Chad Billingsley (2-1, 4.09).
The Father’s Day Legends Game presented by Mohegan Sun Pocono will take place at PNC Field Sunday afternoon. It will feature names like Reggie Jackson, Don Larsen and more. Gates will open at 12:15 p.m. in advance of a 2:05 p.m. first pitch. For more information please call (570) 969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.
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