Moosic, PA- It was a pitchers’ duel at PNC Field between southpaw Matt Tracy for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and pitching prospect Alex Meyer for the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins) along with missed opportunities for the local nine which resulted in a 2-1 loss for the RailRiders.
Tracy retired the first 12 batters he faced as he cruised through the Red Wings lineup in the early goings. He would have that streak snapped in the fifth inning when the visitors had a threat. Deibinson Romero doubled to begin the frame and a one out walk put runners on the corners for Rochester. Tracy then got an inning ending double play to escape the inning unscathed.
In the sixth however, Tracy couldn’t work his magic again. A one-out Eric Fryer double set the Red Wings up with a runner in scoring position. Eric Farris would follow with a single to left to put runners on the corners. After a fly out to left, Oswaldo Arcia drove in the first run of the game with a single through the first base side to make it a 1-0 lead.
The RailRiders responded immediately in the bottom half of the sixth when Ramon Flores laced a one-out single up the middle and was followed by a Scott Sizemore walk putting runners on first and second. Kyle Roller then came to the plate and hit a broken bat slow roller through the left side of the infielder to score Flores to make it a 1-1 ball game. The RailRiders threatened for more, but came up empty with the bases loaded failing to hit the ball out of the infield in their next two at bats.
In the seventh, Tracy would give the lead right back as he allowed a one-out solo home run to Brad Nelson to make it 2-1. The RailRiders however, couldn’t capitalize on prime opportunities that were presented to them throughout the later stages of the game.
The bottom half of the seventh, Francisco Arcia and Jose Pirela both singled to put runners on first and second before SWB went down on strikes in order to end the threat. The eighth inning was perhaps their best chance to tie the game or take the lead when Roller led off with a bloop single to right field and Zealous Wheeler ripped his second double of the game to put runners in scoring position with nobody out. Dean Anna failed to hit the ball past a drawn in infield, Antoan Richardson was caught looking, and pinch-hitter Russ Canzler grounded out sharply to shortstop to end the rally.
Ramon Flores kept hope alive in the ninth with a two-out base knock and advanced to second when the ball grazed off Farris’ glove in center. Sizemore would ground to shortstop however to end the ball game.
Matt Tracy tossed eight innings allowing just the two runs on five hits while striking out two. Branden Pinder came out of the pen in the ninth and he tossed a scoreless frame.
The RailRiders are back in action tomorrow night for game two as the SWB send out Brian Gordon (2-4, 4.26) while Rochester sends out Mike Pelfrey (0-0, 1.80).
OFF THE RAILS
The RailRiders went 1-for-11 with RISP with Kyle Roller’s single driving in the lone run for the RailRiders.
Matt Tracy’s eight innings of work marks a new career high for the southpaw.
Adonis Garcia’s 17-game hit streak was snapped with an 0-for-5 day.
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