RailRiders explode in tenth, top Chiefs in extras

Syracuse, NY (June 14, 2018) - The Syracuse Chiefs overcame multiple deficits to force extra innings, but the Chiefs lost to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, 9-5, in ten innings on Thursday night in front of a crowd of 5,156 at NBT Bank Stadium. The Chiefs collected two more hits than the RailRiders, but Syracuse left 11 runners on base and went 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (31-34) scored the games decisive runs in the top of the tenth inning. The game went to extra innings with the score tied, 3-3. With the new extra-innings rule implemented this year, Abiatal Avelino began the frame at second base for the RailRiders. Bruce Caldwell led off with a single to put runners at first and third. Kyle Higashioka followed with a double, scoring Avelino and moving Caldwell to third as the RailRiders took a 4-3 lead. Mark Payton then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, advancing Higashioka to third and bringing home Caldwell for a 5-3 edge. A Clint Frazier walk placed runners on the corners. Tyler Wade then singled to score Higashioka and make it a 6-3 ballgame. Wade was ejected from the game after the play, so L.J. Mazzilli came in to pinch run for him. The scoring continued with a Brandon Drury double that brought both Frazier and Mazzilli around to score for an 8-3 lead. Ryan McBroom followed with a double to score Drury and give the RailRiders a 9-3 advantage.

Syracuse (28-36) scored two runs in the bottom of tenth. Jacob Wilson began the frame on second base. Wilson tagged up and moved to third base on a Moisés Sierra fly out to center field. Irving Falu followed with a double that scored Wilson to make it a 9-4 game. Falu advanced to third on a Jaff Decker groundout, and then Falu scored on a wild pitch to cut the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lead to four, 9-5.

The RailRiders scored first in the top of the first inning. With two outs, Drury crushed a ball over the left-center field wall for a home run to put Scranton/Wilkes-Barre up, 1-0.

The Chiefs matched the RailRiders in the bottom of the first inning. Andrew Stevenson singled and Adrían Sanchez walked to put runners on first and second base Stevenson moved to third, and Sanchez advanced to second on a José Marmolejos groundout back to the mound. Jacob Wilson followed with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Stevenson to tie the game, 1-1.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre regained the lead in the second. With Billy McKinney at third base and Avelino at first, Caldwell grounded into a fielder's choice where Avelino was out at second, but Caldwell was safe at first and McKinney scored for a 2-1 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre edge.

The RailRiders added to their lead in the top of the third. Wade led off with a solo home run to right field, extending the RailRiders advantage to two, 3-1.
Syracuse responded with a run in the bottom of the third. Sanchez singled and moved to second on a Marmolejos groundout to first. Wilson then singled, placing runners on the corners. Moisés Sierra followed with a single up the middle, scoring Sanchez to trim the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lead to one, 3-2.

The Chiefs tied the game again with a run in the seventh. With two outs, Marmolejos doubled. Wilson followed with a single to left-center field to bring home Marmolejos and knot the game, 3-3.

Syracuse and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre play game two of their four-game series on Friday night. RHP Brady Dragmire will make his first start for the Chiefs while LHP Josh Rogers will be on the mound for the RailRiders. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.