Syracuse, N.Y. – An eight-run 11th inning carried the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders over the Syracuse Chiefs (Washington Nationals) on Friday night, 10-2. SWB (30-26) won its ninth straight road game while Syracuse (17-38) fell for the 12th time in a row and 19th time in 20 games overall. The RailRiders took each game on the short two-game set by the same score. The RailRiders improved to a league-best 5-0 in extra-inning games.
In his second career Triple-A start, Luis Severino tossed a career-best seven innings. He retired 20 of the last 23 he faced and allowed just four hits, all singles including two that made contact with an infielder’s glove.
Syracuse forced free baseball in dramatic fashion. With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Josh Johnson connected on a run-scoring single through the right-side hole against Tyler Webb (2-3), who had just entered. Pinch runner Jason Martinson scored, but Caleb Ramsey was thrown out at the plate by Ben Gamel from right field.
Webb fired a perfect 10th against the top of the Chiefs’ order before Eric Fornataro (0-3) got the call from the Syracuse bullpen to start the visiting 11th. Three days removed from a spot start, Fornataro faced seven men and failed to record an out. Five straight singles started the inning while a walk and a hit batter followed. Austin Romine delivered what proved to be the game-winning RBI.
After Rob Segedin was hit with a pitch to push the fourth run of the inning across the plate, Johnson moved from second base to the mound for his pro pitching debut. Cole Figueroa then worked a walk, Nick Noonan ripped a two-run double to right and Rob Refsnyder produced a sacrifice fly for the 10-2 margin.
The RailRiders head to Frontier Field for a two-game series against the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins). Right-hander Kyle Davies (3-3, 4.47) is scheduled to face southpaw Tommy Milone (4-0, 0.70) in Saturday’s 7:05 p.m. series opener. SWB returns home to host the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins) from June 11-14. The four-game set includes two fireworks nights and a Derek Jeter bobblehead giveaway on Saturday, June 13 courtesy of Allied Services. For tickets or more information, call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit the team’s website, www.swbrailriders.com.
OFF THE RAILS:
SWB had not won nine consecutive road games since taking its first 10 such affairs in 2009. The 10th triumph in that run was a 17-14 game that took 13 innings and 4:43 at Rochester on April 25.
The RailRiders stand four games above .500 for the first time since the 2013 squad was 20-16 after a 3-2 loss at Gwinnett on May 13.
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