Bright Lights: Tully Shines, But RailRiders Fall 4-2

BOX SCORE | LHV 4, SWB 2

ALLENTOWN, PA (July 3) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders dropped 4-2 to Lehigh Valley in the day contest of a split doubleheader. The RailRiders worked their way back to tie the game in the sixth, but a walk-off homer from Buddy Kennedy ended the contest. The team will finish up their time at Coca-Cola Park with the night game beginning at 7:05PM before they get to return home for July 4 at PNC Field.

Tanner Tully came out of the gate firing, setting down the first six batters he faced. The RailRiders worked a couple of base runners off of Lehigh Valley’s Max Castillo but weren’t able to bring any around.

Both teams were hitless through three frames, even though a handful of errors and walks allowed runners aboard. Agustín Ramírez got the first knock in the fourth and stole third to get 90 feet from home, but was stranded there.

In the bottom half, an error allowed Ruben Cardenas to reach and Darick Hall worked a walk to put two on. Nick Podkul followed up with an RBI double and Cody Roberts singled in a run for a 2-0 advantage.

The RailRiders threatened again in the fifth but hit into their fourth double play to end the inning.

Tully worked a quick and quiet final bottom half to record one of his best starts of the season. The southpaw allowed a just pair of runs, only one earned, in five frames. He struck out three.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre finally broke through the door in the sixth. Jorbit Vivas led off with a two-bagger but was thrown out trying to make a triple. Ramírez and T.J. Rumfield worked back-to-back walks and Brandon Lockridge singled to load the bases. Jose Rojas smacked a sacrifice fly to center to break the shutout bid. Taylor Trammell earned a base on balls to load it up once again. Jeter Downs followed with a free pass of his own to tie things up at two apiece.

Scott Effross pitched a clean inning out of the bullpen to keep it that way. The RailRiders went down in order in the top of the seventh for the first time in the contest. The IronPigs took advantage for a walk-off home run thanks to Buddy Kennedy. Anthony Misiewicz (L, 2-1) quickly got two outs, but after Weston Wilson singled, Kennedy called game 4-2 Lehigh Valley.

The RailRiders wrap up their quick trip to Allentown with the night game of a split-doubleheader and return to PNC Field on July 4 to host the IronPigs. Gates open at 5:30 P.M. and the Independence Day game will be followed by an extended fireworks show presented by the Pennsylvania Lottery. Tickets are available www.swbrailriders.com.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record: 2-5, 45-36