Spencer Jones totaled four hits and six RBIs to help the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders gain a split of their International League doubleheader with Durham on Saturday at PNC Field in Moosic.
After the Bulls took the opener, 4-2, the RailRiders bounced back in the nightcap, 9-5.
Jones had an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning in the first game, while Paul DeJong had two hits, including a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh for the RailRiders. Yankees No. 2 prospect Carlos Lagrange started and allowed two runs on two hits in 3.1 innings with four walks and eight strikeouts.
Logan Davidson hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning off Lagrange to give Durham a 2-1 lead. Gavin Lux, on a major-league rehab assignment, added a two-run double in the sixth.
In the second game, the RailRiders used a six-run fourth inning to erase a 2-0 deficit. Jones had a two-run single to score Jasson Dominguez and Oswaldo Cabrera and tie the game. After a Durham pitching change, Yanquiel Fernandez singled and Seth Brown launched a home run to right field on a full-count pitch to put the RailRiders in front, 5-2. With two outs, Jonathan Ornelas walked, took second on an errant pickoff attempt and scored on Duke Ellis’ single to cap the outburst.
Durham closed to within 6-4 in the top of the fifth, but Jones homered with one out to give the RailRiders a 7-4 lead. The Bulls got the run back in the top of the sixth, but with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, consecutive walks to Ellis, Dominguez and Cabrera loaded the bases. Jones followed with a two-run single to cap his three-hit, five-RBI game.
Position player Edinson Duran worked a scoreless ninth to finish off the victory for Danny Watson (2-0).
On Sunday at 1:35 p.m., the six-game series with Durham concludes at PNC Field. Don Hamel (0-1, 11.57) is scheduled to start for the RailRiders (9-5).