STAFF REPORTS
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders beat the Rochester Red Wings 5-1 Wednesday afternoon at Frontier Field. The Red Wings host Syracuse Thursday night at 7:05 p.m., with College Night specials and tailgate games.
The RailRiders plated the first run of the game in the top of the second inning on an RBI single off Red Wings starter David Hurlbut, giving Scranton/Wilkes-Barre an early 1-0 lead.
RailRiders starter Caleb Smith kept the Red Wings off the scoreboard early, allowing no runs through the first five innings. Zach Granite tallied the first hit for Rochester, a triple with two outs in the bottom of the third inning, but the team couldn’t capitalize with a man in scoring position.
Rochester tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning after a Scranton/Wilkes Barre error allowed Granite – who led off the inning with a single and stolen base – to score. Smith was replaced with one out in the inning after Granite advanced to second.
Smith finished with 5.1 innings of work, allowing one run and no earned runs on two hits, two walks and seven strikeouts. He threw 99 pitches – 61 for strikes.
The RailRiders responded quickly in the top of the seventh inning, two on an RBI double by Gleyber Torres for a 3-1 lead. Trevor Hildenberger replaced Hurlbut with two outs in the inning and allowed the hit that gave the RailRiders a two-run lead.
Hurlbut finished pitching 6.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits, one walk and a career-high 11 strikeouts. He threw 97 pitches – 67 for strikes.
Kevin Chapman came in for Hildenberger with one out in the top of the eighth inning, and retired the two batters he faced via the strikeout. With two outs and a runner at first in the top of the ninth inning, Kam Mickolio took over on the mound and issued a walk. Tyler Austin followed with a high wind-blown flyball that Granite appeared to lose in the sun. The ball landed near the warning track for an RBI double, increasing the RailRiders’ lead to 4-1. A wild pitch brought in another run to provide a 5-1 lead.
The RailRiders out-hit the Red Wings 11-4.
