RailRider Earn Doubleheader Split
September 1, 2022 – International League (IL) – Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release
MOOSIC, PA – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (66-59) split a doubleheader with the Syracuse Mets on Thursday evening. RailRiders’ home run leader and Yankees’ second-ranked prospect Oswald Peraza homered in his second at-bat of the day before being lifted and called up by New York for his first career Major League promotion.
The RailRiders took an early lead in game one courtesy of Peraza’s team-high 19th long ball of the season, a solo shot to left-center. That at-bat would prove to be Peraza’s last in an SWB uniform before his promotion to the New York Yankees. The 22-year-old shortstop is batting .259 this season and has been a defensive catalyst.
Peraza entered the season as the number two ranked prospect in the Yankees’ system by multiple publications behind Anthony Volpe. He has played primarily shortstop this season in his first full year at Triple-A. That final home run was his 100th hit of the Minor League season, which is good for second on the team behind Estevan Florial. Peraza becomes the second RailRider this year to be called up for the first time by the Yankees, joining Oswaldo Cabrera who received the call on August 17.
Syracuse responded in the next half-inning with a game-tying RBI double from Daniel Palka against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter Mitch Spence. The 24-year-old righty Spence allowed four runs over 5.2 frames of work. ‘Cuse then jumped in front 2-1 in the fifth via Dominic Smith’s two-out, run-scoring single to left.
The Mets padded their lead with a two-spot in the sixth. Gosuke Katoh and Michael Perez registered the RBI knocks for Syracuse as they held their three-run advantage for the next two frames in the 4-1 final. Katoh finished game one 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.
Sam Clay (3-2) earned the win out of Syracuse’s bullpen. Bryce Montes de Oca (8) logged his eighth save of the campaign. Mitch Spence (1-2) suffered the loss for the RailRiders.
Syracuse opened the scoring in game two against RailRiders’ starter Chi Chi González. Smith’s second RBI single of the twin bill gave the Mets a 1-0 lead in the third. González gave up one run over 3.2 innings in his Yankees-affiliated debut.
The RailRiders answered quickly as Chad Bell led off the bottom of the frame with his first career Triple-A big fly, a deep shot to right. Bell has launched 15 home runs between Double-A Somerset and SWB this season.
The two teams traded zeroes over the next four innings with both bullpens dueling throughout the day. RailRiders’ relievers didn’t allow an earned run over 7.2 frames of work between the two games.
With things still tied after seven, the contest headed into extras in the night-cap. The Mets grabbed a lead in the top of the eighth after a two-out double from Khalil Lee plated Smith. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre knotted things up once again with Ronald Guzmán’s RBI ground out sending the game to the ninth tied at two.
The ninth went by without a tally as the RailRiders went to a third extra-inning for the first time this season. After Richard Rodríguez struck out the side in the top of the tenth, it set Scranton/Wilkes-Barre up with another walk-off opportunity.
With a runner on third and one out, Ryan LaMarre delivered a game-winning sacrifice fly to center to lift the RailRiders to a 3-2 victory. LaMarre went 2-for-3 with that crucial RBI in game two.
Rodríguez (2-1) netted the win for SWB. Trey Cobb (6-3) was saddled with the defeat.
The two teams continue their six-game series on Friday evening at 6:35 PM. Matt Krook (8-7, 4.41) gets the ball for the RailRiders. It’s First Responder Friday and Friday Night Fireworks, presented by NEPA Crane & Hauling and 98.5 KRZ. Tickets are available at swnrailriders.com.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record:
66-59
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