A sloppy performance by the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders hurt them in an 8-6 loss to the Indianapolis Indians on Wednesday afternoon at Victory Field in Indiana.
Garrett Martin homered in his third straight game since being promoted from Double-A Somerset on Saturday and finished with two hits and four RBIs for the RailRiders (1-1, 38-38). However, it wasn’t enough to overcome five errors by the defense. Just three of Indianapolis’ eight runs were earned.
With Oswaldo Cabrera called up to the New York Yankees earlier Wednesday to replace Ryan McMahon, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a throat infection, the RailRiders were short infielders. Cole Gabrielson, normally an outfielder, was forced to play in the infield and committed three errors. Tyler Hardman, usually a corner infielder, had to play shortstop and had two errors.
Things actually started well for the RailRiders.
Duke Ellis jumped on the first pitch from Indianapolis opener Derek Diamond for a single to lead off the game. He stole second and scored on a two-out double by Martin to give the RailRiders a 1-0 lead.
They added to the advantage in the top of the second. Gabrielson led off with a walk. Kenedy Corona lined a single off Indians pitcher Khristian Curtis, who was forced to leave the game. Ellis walked to load the bases and, one out later, Yanquiel Fernandez hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Corona and make it 2-0.
Indianapolis tied it in the bottom of the second off RailRiders starter Adam Kloffenstein. With one out, Nick Cimillo doubled. With two outs, Termarr Johnson walked and Keiner Delgado was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ronny Simon then reached on a throwing error by Gabrielson that enabled two runs to score.
In the top of the third, the RailRiders reclaimed the lead, 3-2. With one out, Ernesto Martinez Jr. lined a single off pitcher Thomas Harrington, knocking him out of the game. Payton Henry singled and, with two outs, Corona had an RBI single.
But in the bottom-half of the inning, Jhostynxon Garcia reached on an error. Jesus Castillo singled and Cimillo crushed a three-run home run 456 feet to left field to put the Indians on top, 5-3.
Again, the RailRiders had a quick response to take back the lead. Marco Luciano led off the top of the fourth with a walk. Fernandez singled and Martin sent a 1-0 pitch out to the shrubbery beyond the center-field fence 435 feet away for a three-run home run that put the RailRiders in front, 6-5.
Martin had 21 home runs and 54 RBIs in 63 games at Somerset. His combined 24 home runs and 63 RBIs this season leads the entire Yankees farm system.
However, that would be it for the RailRiders offense as Beau Burrows, Jaden Woods and Hunter Stratton held them scoreless over the final five innings on just one hit. Burrows (3-1) pitched three innings, Woods worked the eighth and Stratton the ninth to earn his second save.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Rafael Montero (0-4) came on from the RailRiders bullpen. Johnson walked, stole second and scored the tying run on a single by Delgado. Dominic Fletcher then singled. With two outs and runners at second and third, Davis Wendzel reached on a throwing error by Hardman that allowed two runs to score and gave Indianapolis the lead for good, 8-6.
RailRiders 7, Indianapolis 2: At Indianapolis on Tuesday night, Garrett Martin and Oswaldo Cabrera each had three hits as the RailRiders opened the second half of the International League season with a win in the start of a six-game series with the Indians.
Martin had a two-run home run in the third inning and RBI singles in the fourth and eighth innings. He also made a diving catch in center field with the bases loaded for the final out in the bottom of the third.
Cabrera had run-scoring singles in the fourth and eighth innings, as well. Marco Luciano chipped in two hits.
Five RailRiders pitchers combined to limit the Indians to five hits. Carson Coleman (1-0), the third of those pitchers, retired all four batters he faced to get the win.