Weathered: RailRiders Outdone By Bisons in Two-Day Affair

BOX SCORE | BUF 21, SWB 10

MOOSIC, PA – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and the Buffalo Bisons wrapped up Friday’s game in the bottom the ninth with just one out due to unplayable field conditions. The Bisons won 21-10 although the RailRiders were amidst a late rally. Saturday’s regularly scheduled contest was canceled, but the two teams will complete the first half in Sunday’s 1:00PM match-up.

Steward Berroa led off the game with a double and Riley Tirotta sent him home with an RBI single.

In the next inning, Will Robertson smacked a home run off of starter Edgar Barclay for a 2-0 advantage.

Buffalo took off in the third as they connected for nine more runs on eight hits. The visitors batted through the order and then some when both Leo Jimenez and Damiano Palmegiani each had two knocks. Jimenez and Tirotta smacked back-to-back homers to chase Barclay out of the game. Reliever Matt Sauer ended the frame with a strikeout, stranding an inherited a runner.

After the inning closed with a 11-0 advantage for the Bisons, the umpire crew called for the tarp to be pulled and a monsoon rolled in.

The teams were set to pick up the ballgame on Saturday with a 4:05PM start. However, Mother Nature had other plans and the first pitch was not thrown until 7:20.

Duane Underwood Jr. got through a scoreless fourth inning, but the RailRiders still could not get on base in the bottom half.

The Bisons picked up right where they left off with another home run courtesy of Tirotta. It was 13-0.

But, SWB was finally able to strike back. After Carlos Narvaez was hit by a pitch, Oscar González reached on a fielder’s choice. Taylor Trammell got the RailRiders first hit and runs batted in. He notched a sharp line drive to plate them both, breaking up a perfect game bid.

The visitors tacked another on in the sixth and then went on for a six-run seventh. A leadoff double and a pair of walks off of Cody Morris loaded the bases. Bryce Arnold smacked a grand slam for his first Triple-A homer. Buffalo batted through the order scoring two more for a 20-2 advantage.

The RailRiders kept the fight alive plating a pair in the seventh. Jose Rojas tripled to get aboard and came across the dish on a balk. The team loaded the bases and Josh VanMeter worked a walk to make it 20-4.

Rojas connected again in the eighth inning with a two-run bomb, his team-leading 15th of the season.

Jose Rojas goes yard! Just a few more of these and we'll be right back in it 👀 pic.twitter.com/mIoGgHwskj

— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) June 23, 2024

Kevin Smith, an infielder, came on to pitch and tossed two and two thirds frames, allowing just two runs.

Down to their final three outs, the RailRiders made good use. Trammell worked a leadoff walk and Smith followed with an RBI double. VanMeter batted him home and then Jorbit Vivas smoked a ball into the stands for his second homer of the season. Oswald Peraza and T.J. Rumfield had back-to-back base hits, but once again the rain came pouring down and the tarp went back on. Although the RailRiders were trying to rally, the game was called complete due to unplayable field conditions.

In total, the almost nine full innings of baseball took five hours and three minutes with a one hour and forty-six-minute rain delay.

Tickets from Saturday’s regularly scheduled game can be exchanged for any remaining home game during the 2024 season, with the exception of July 4. Additional restrictions may apply and tickets are subject to availability. Find out more on the RailRiders Rain Policy at swbrailriders.com/ballpark/railriders-rain-policy. Fans can also email [email protected] to exchange their tickets.