50-50: RailRiders, Red Sox Split Doubleheader

BOX SCORE | WOR 8, SWB 3

BOX SCORE | SWB 6, WOR 5

MOOSIC, PA (June 27) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders split a doubleheader with the Worcester Red Sox on Thursday at PNC Field, falling 8-3 in game one and winning the nightcap 6-5.

The RailRiders opened the scoring in the first inning of game one. After Red Sox rehabber Bryan Mata hit Oswald Peraza with a pitch, #15 Yankee Prospect Jorbit Vivas followed with a 425-foot blast to right for a 2-0 advantage.

Up, up, and away! 🚀

425 ft. | 104 mph pic.twitter.com/RdFUr9k7O3

— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) June 27, 2024

The Red Sox got one back in the top of the second. Jamie Westbrook and Mickey Gasper hit consecutive singles and Matthew Lugo doubled to get the WooSox on the board at 2-1. With one out and runners in scoring position, Oswald Peraza threw Gasper out at home to hold the lead.

Starting pitcher Tanner Tully surrendered back-to-back homers in the top of the fourth. Eddy Alvarez rocked a three-run shot to right and Mark Kolozsvary launched one to left, putting Worcester ahead 5-2.

A three-run fifth inning gave the WooSox a six-run lead. #6 Red Sox Prospect Nick Yorke singled and stole second. After Westbrook walked, Lugo hammered a three-run bomb, putting Worcester up 8-2.

In the sixth, Yankee rehabber Scott Effross made an 18-pitch relief appearance, allowing two hits and no runs while striking out two.

SWB completed the scoring in the bottom of the sixth when Vivas scored on a Jose Rojas forceout, making it 8-3.

Tully (L,1-6) tossed 4.0 innings giving up five runs on nine hits and striking out four. Jason Alexander (W,4-4) threw 4.1 innings, allowing one run on three hits while fanning four. Mata pitched 2.2 innings, surrendering two runs on two hits.

In game two, the RailRiders struck first again. After a pitch hit Vivas and Peraza singled, a base hit from #20 Yankee Prospect Agustin Ramirez put SWB on the board. A wild pitch from Worcester starting pitcher Cooper Criswell scored Peraza for a 2-0 edge.

Worcester answered quickly in the top of the third when Nathan Hickey launched a 404-foot home run-off relief pitcher Duane Underwood Jr., giving the Red Sox a 3-2 lead.

SWB took the lead right back in the bottom of the third. After Vivas singled and Peraza reached on an error, Ramirez tied the game at three apiece with an infield single. Carlos Narvaez followed with an RBI knock of his own to put SWB ahead 4-3.

The defense kept the home team ahead in the top of the fifth. After a two-out double from Westbrook, Gasper singled into right, but a 9-3-2 throw-out from Trammell gunned down Westbrook at the plate to hold the lead for the RailRiders.

In the bottom of the frame, Jose Rojas hammered his 16th homer of the year, a 367-foot drive to give SWB a 5-3 advantage.

Jose Homer! 💣 pic.twitter.com/P7tB6LlGCZ

— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) June 28, 2024

In the bottom of the sixth, Brandon Lockridge walked and stole his 25th base of the season. A sacrifice fly from Peraza scored Lockridge to put the RailRiders up three.

Bobby Dalbec and Westbrook doubled in two runs in the bottom of the seventh to get Worcester within one, but the WooSox could not complete the comeback, ending the game at 6-5.

Chasen Shreve (W,1-0) pitched 1.1 innings, giving up no hits and no runs. Cooper Criswell (L,1-2) tossed 4.0 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. #24 Yankee Prospect Jack Neely made a relief appearance, tossing 2.1 innings and allowing no runs on two hits while striking out three. Ron Marinaccio (S, 4) allowed two runs on three hits.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre continues their series with Worcester on Friday night. The RailRiders will send Edgar Barclay to the mound to face off against Worcester’s Richard Fitts. The first pitch is slated for 6:35 PM. Tickets are available www.swbrailriders.com.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record: 1-2, 44-33