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If you think the International League schedule looks a little different this season, that’s because it does.
For the first time the league is using an unbalanced schedule in an effort for teams to have more home games on weekends, and it helps with more convenient travel plans as well.
The biggest difference in the new format is the number of games each team plays opponents. In previous seasons, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre played fellow North Division foes 16 times each, while seeing foes in the South and West divisions eight times apiece.
This season those numbers are all over the place with the minimum number of games the RailRiders see division rivals being 16 (Syracuse) and the most being 20 (Rochester). They play Buffalo 17 times, Lehigh Valley 18 times with 10 being at home, and see Pawtucket for 19 games, including 11 at PNC Field.
It’s unfortunate for SWB to see Rochester the most of any opponent because the Red Wings have owned the RailRiders over the last 27 games in the series. In 2013, Rochester won five of the last eight between the clubs then took 11 of 16 games in 2014, and started this season with a three-game sweep against the RailRiders last week.
Meanwhile, the divisional opponent Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has had the most success against over the last two seasons is Syracuse, which the team has won 20 of 32 meetings.
Of interdivisional counterparts, they play four teams (Norfolk, Gwinnett, Toledo, Columbus) six times, two teams for seven games (Charlotte, Indianapolis) and a pair of teams for eight games (Durham and Louisville).
As for weekend home games for the RailRiders, they have home games on full weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) 10 times this season and one other homestand that starts on a Saturday. In 2014, SWB had 10 full weekend series at home.
While that may not seem like a big difference in terms of scheduling, the big difference is that four times last year a team entered PNC Field to start a series on a Saturday or Sunday, the normally unconventional days to start a series in the baseball world. That doesn’t happen at all this season even though the RailRiders play at home on a Friday two times this season then hit the road the next day. The same scheduling scenario occurred twice last season as well.
In case you missed it
The RailRiders didn’t get off to the best of starts they would have liked to despite winning their home opener at PNC Field for the first time since 2010. After the opener — and splitting the four-game, season-opening series versus Syracuse — they got swept in three games by Rochester and began Saturday losing one of two in a three-game set versus Syracuse on the road to get off to their worst start at 3-5 since starting 1-6 in the RailRiders’ inaugural season of 2013.
On the positive side of things, Ramon Flores had a grand start to his season, hitting for the cycle on Opening Day and becoming just the third player in franchise history to accomplish the feat and the first since it became affiliated with the Yankees in 2007. The outfielder capped the homestand by hitting two home runs in a loss to Rochester, being the first RailRider to go deep multiple times in a game since Zoilo Almonte hit three against Gwinnett on the road last July.
Looking ahead
Division rivals invade PNC Field this week as Lehigh Valley and Pawtucket are part of another seven-game homestand for the RailRiders, who start the campaign with 14 of 18 games played at home.
The IronPigs’ pitching has struggled out of the gate, entering with the second-worst ERA in the International League. The RailRiders’ ERA is third to last in the league, but is nearly a half run less than the Pigs.
Offensively, LV has been consistent with third base prospect Maikel Franco near the top of the league leaders in RBI, and Hazleton Area graduate Russ Canzler bringing his usual consistency. Canzler, a former RailRider, is batting .300 this season with a home run, two doubles and five RBI. Last week, he not only earned a game-winning, bases-loaded walk for the IronPigs, but he was the winning pitcher.
When Lehigh Valley leaves Moosic after Wednesday night’s game, the first-place PawSox start a four-game series on Thursday. Pawtucket leads the circuit in home runs with nine and is third in runs with 48. Bryce Brentz and Sean Coyle pace the Red Sox offense with three longballs each, while Jackie Bradley Jr. is third in the I.L. with 13 hits.
Don’t miss this
With a full slate of home games this week, you’re sure to see a good promotion no matter what day you go. You can choose from dollar hot dogs on Monday, a free t-shirt on Tuesday, kids eat free Wednesday, Thirsty Thursday with social media night and Penn State night mixed in. Friday includes fireworks, faith night and wear blue for autism.
In case it rains on Saturday, there’s no need to bring an umbrella since the giveaway on Saturday is an umbrella for the first 2,500 fans.