A Christmas Miracle: Peraza's Blast Gives SWB A Walk-Off Win

BOX SCORE | SWB 9, WOR 7 (11)

MOOSIC, PA (July 27, 2024) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Worcester Red Sox 9-7 Saturday night at PNC Field. The RailRiders 100th game of the season was won in the eleventh with a walk-off home run from third baseman Oswald Peraza.

OSWALD SAVES THE HOLIDAY! IT'S A CHRISTMAS WALK-OFF‼️#yankees pic.twitter.com/IfEJfPuJv8

— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) July 28, 2024

In a bullpen contest for SWB, Duane Underwood Jr. started on the bump, allowing an RBI single to Mickey Gasper and a sacrifice fly from Niko Kavadas to give Worcester an early 2-0 lead.

The Red Sox added two more runs in the second inning off Art Warren. Nick Sogard singled in a run and a Gasper forceout scored Chase Meidroth, giving the WooSox a four-run advantage.

The RailRiders scored a pair of runs against Worcester starting pitcher Richard Fitts in the bottom of the third. Brandon Lockridge singled and Yankee #15 Prospect Jorbit Vivas doubled to put runners in scoring position. With two outs, T.J. Rumfield doubled both runners home to cut the lead in half at 4-2.

The WooSox scored a run back in the top of the fourth. Meidroth launched a solo shot to left off Oddanier Mosqueda, making it 5-2.

In the fifth inning, the RailRiders scored two runs due to a pair of Worcester miscues. After Lockridge singled, Vivas and Oswald Peraza reached on errors, bringing the RailRiders within one run at 5-4.

Worcester got one back off SWB reliever Phil Bickford, who retired the side in the fifth, but could not keep the WooSox from scoring in the sixth when Meidroth singled in Matthew Lugo, giving the Red Sox a 6-4 edge.

Down two in the eighth, the RailRiders tied the game off Lockridge’s fourth hit of the contest. After Kevin Smith singled and Josh VanMeter walked, Lockridge knotted it up at six with a single. Lockridge finished 4-for-6 with three runs and one RBI.

The gift that keeps on giving: Brandon Lockridge! 🎅 pic.twitter.com/7zLSCYsJZD

— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) July 28, 2024

Worcester threatened with runners on the corners in the top of the ninth, but reliever Ron Marinaccio retired the next three batters thanks in part to a diving catch from Taylor Trammell.

In the eleventh, Nick Sogard plated the ghost runner off Victor González (W, 3-0) to break the tie at 7-6.

In the bottom of the frame, Vivas singled home the placed runner Lockridge to tie it at seven. Peraza followed with a 383-foot walk-off blast to win the game 9-7.

The RailRiders conclude their series with Worcester on Sunday at PNC Field. Thomas Pannone takes the first pitch is slated for 1:05 P.M. Tickets are available at www.swbrailriders.com.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record: 13-13, 56-44