Rortvedt's Rockin': Walk-Off Homer Caps RailRiders Comeback
BOX SCORE | SWB 8, OMA 6 The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders battled back to win 8-6 over the Omaha Storm Chasers on Saturday afternoon behind a walk-off three run home run from Ben Rortvedt. This was his second consecutive contest with a homer.
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders battled back to win 8-6 over the Omaha Storm Chasers on Saturday afternoon behind a walk-off three run home run from Ben Rortvedt. This was his second consecutive contest with a homer.
RORTVEDT RALLY 💯
— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) May 13, 2023
It's a walk-off three-run homer from Ben Rortvedt!#EverythingMajor #RepBX pic.twitter.com/OP5hYzChNw
Deja vu from a night prior ensued for Scranton Wilkes-Barre when three runs came across for the Storm Chasers in the top of the first to give them the lead.
Samad Taylor roped a single and scored shortly thereafter on an RBI double from Tyler Gentry. Logan Porter recorded a base hit, both Gentry and Porter came around after a pair of RBI singles from Nick Loftin and Brewer Hicklen respectively giving Omaha a 3-0 advantage.
Base running woes for Omaha proved to be a gift for the Railriders, as four Storm Chasers were caught off the base paths in the first three innings.
Wilmer Difo led the bottom of the third off with a double. Estevan Florial followed that up with a deep shot to left, his fourth of the season, trimming the deficit to 3-2 for the Railriders.
FLO GOES OPPO 💣#EverythingMajor #RepBX pic.twitter.com/MACIGR6UJt
— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) May 13, 2023
A walk to Jamie Westbrook and back-to-back hits from Difo and Florial loaded the bases for SWB. Rortvedt grounded into a rare triple play, but not before the run crossed the plate tying the game at three.
A solo shot from CJ Alexander would vault the Storm Chasers back out front 4-3 in the top of the sixth.
The Railriders threatened in the bottom of the eighth, but stranded Rortvedt on third.
Omaha's Taylor provided insurance with a 2 RBI double in the top of the ninth, scoring Hicklen and Dairon Blanco making it 6-3.
In the bottom half, the RailRiders began a rally. Carlos Narvaez and Billy McKinney walked to put two on. Westbrook hit into a fielder's choice that put two on the corners. Franchy Cordero ripped a pinch-hit RBI single to start the run scoring. Florial would cap off a 3-for-5, three RBI day with a single to score Westbrook making it 6-5.
With two on and one out, Rortvedt launched three run walk-off home run to right field to win it for the Railriders. It punctuate his 3-5, four RBI performance.
Tanner Tully went five innings, giving up three runs on ten hits. Greg Weissert went two frames squandering a run on two hits. James Norwood would fan one in a 1-2-3 eighth. Aaron McGarity (W, 4-0) finished with an inning pitched, giving up two runs on two hits while striking out two en route to his fourth win of the season.
For the Storm Chasers, Austin Cox tallied five innings allowing three runs on five hits. Walter Pennington pitched two scoreless innings, Jackson Kowar went an inning, with a hit and three walks, allowing two earned runs. Brooks Kriske (0-2) took the loss pitching a third of an inning, giving up three hits and allowing three runs, all to the tune of Rortvedt’s game-winning home run.
The RailRiders wrap up their homestand against the Storm Chasers with a Mother’s Day matinee on Sunday afternoon. Righty Mitch Spence is slated to take on Drew Parrish, first pitch is scheduled for 1:05 PM.