The RailRiders’ exceptional start to the season has involved contributions from various players on the team. Saturday’s victory was no exception.
Josh VanMeter, batting ninth, got on base three times and brought in the crucial run with an RBI double in the seventh, leading Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to a 5-2 win over Lehigh Valley at PNC Field.
VanMeter ended up 2-for-2 with a walk in addition to the RBI. Pitcher Cody Poteet had the longest outing by a RailRiders starter this season, pitching 6.1 innings and giving up one run on six hits while striking out four.
Poteet retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced before David Dahl scored a single in the fourth, putting the IronPigs ahead 1-0.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre promptly responded in the bottom of the inning, with T.J. Rumfield driving in a run with a groundout and Carlos Narvaez making it 2-1 with a sacrifice fly.
The score remained the same until the seventh, when VanMeter hit his third double of the season to bring in a run. Brandon Lockridge then followed up with a two-run single in the next at-bat, giving the RailRiders a firm 5-1 lead.
Reliever Yerry De Los Santos struggled in the ninth, conceding two hits, including a home run to Jordan Luplow, before finally closing the game.
The RailRiders will aim for the series win on Sunday when they play at 1:05 p.m. in Moosic. Edgar Barclay is scheduled to be the starting pitcher.
