Moosic, PA (April 7, 2018) - Nationals' top-ranked prospect (per Baseball America) Victor Robles reached base five times, with four hits, and scored the game winning run as the Syracuse Chiefs picked up their first win of the season, 4-3, Saturday night over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The 20-year old went
Moosic, PA (April 7, 2018) - Nationals' top-ranked prospect (per Baseball America) Victor Robles reached base five times, with four hits, and scored the game winning run as the Syracuse Chiefs picked up their first win of the season, 4-3, Saturday night over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The 20-year old went 4-4 on six pitches, but it was his ninth inning walk that would prove most impactful.
Syracuse (1-1) started the ninth inning in a 3-3 tie with Robles drawing a one-out walk off Anyelo Gómez. After a fly out, Robles took off from first base on a delayed steal with José Marmolejos at the plate, and the RailRiders playing an over shift. The throw from RailRiders' catcher Kyle Higashioka bounced and deflected into left field for a throwing error, and Robles scampered around third and scored on the play to give the Chiefs the lead they would not relinquish.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (1-1) had an opportunity in the ninth against Austin Adams. One night after the RailRiders struck for five in the ninth to walk-off on Opening Night, Zack Zehner singled and Abiatal Avelino walked to start the frame. After a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third, Gleyber Torres hit a ground ball to third base. Chris Dominguez threw home to get Zehner in a rundown, while Avelino took off from second. Eventually when the rundown ended with two RailRiders on third base, Avelino was ruled out on a tag and Zehner remained on third, with Torres running behind the play to second. With two outs and both the potential tying and winning runs in scoring position, Adams got Cody Asche to pop out to short to end the game.
The Chiefs once again took the lead first for the second night in a row. Robles kicked off the game by singling on the first pitch from Josh Rogers. As Robles took a wide turn of first, Torres threw behind the play but the ball got past first, and Robles reached second on the error. He scored two batters later on Marmolejos' RBI single to give Syracuse a 1-0 lead. The rally continued when Moisés Sierra singled and Alejandro De Aza walked to load the bases. Dominguez followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to score the Chiefs' second run.
The RailRiders added their first run in the second off Tommy Milone. Mike Ford and Higashioka each singled to begin the frame. After a double play ball, but with Ford moving to third, Billy Fleming ripped an RBI double to left field to cut the deficit to one.
Robles helped get that run back in the sixth. Brady Lail walked Bengie González with two outs, and Gonzalez stole second. Robles came up with his fourth hit of the game, a single to left field to drive in Gonzalez and put the lead to 3-1.
Milone had allowed just four RailRiders hits in the first five innings, but Scranton/Wilkes-Barre found its bats in the sixth. Shane Robinson singled to start the inning and Torres drilled a two-run home run to left field to tie the score at three, where it would remain until the ninth.
The Chiefs and RailRiders wrap up the opening series of the season Sunday at 1:05 p.m. RHP Erick Fedde is slated to start for Syracuse opposite RHP David Hale for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
