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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — A bad start to the franchise’s first playoff game in four years doomed Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in a 6-3 loss to Indianapolis in Game 1 of the International League semifinals on Wednesday night.
But a late run might be something the RailRiders can build upon for the rest of the best-of-five series.
The Indians got to RailRiders starter Kyle Haynes for six runs in the first inning when 10 batters marched to the plate. Indianapolis stole two of its four bases in the inning to batter the right-handed Haynes and put the RailRiders in a deep hole. A run-scoring hit by Josh Bell put the Indians on the board at 1-0, and two more scored on groundouts for a 3-0 lead.
But Haynes then ran into more problems, walking the bases loaded before Dann Gamache slammed a bases-clearing double to give Indianapolis a six-run advantage.
After that, the RailRiders’ bullpen of Conor Mullee, Chris Martin and Andury Acevedo pitched seven scoreless innings with Mullee tossing four scoreless frames.
The relieving core, which has been solid all season SWB, gave the team a chance to chip away at the big deficit.
The offense got on the board in the top of the fourth on a RBI single by Aaron Judge, trimming the lead to 6-1.
For the first time in the game, the RailRiders had the Indians concerned in the eighth inning. That’s when SWB got a two-run single from the reigning International League Batter of the Week Ali Castillo, pulling his team within 6-3. After Gary Sanchez, who was activated off the disabled list before the game, singled following Castillo’s hit, the RailRiders had the tying run at the plate with one out. But pinch-hitter Rob Segedin and Judge struck out to end the threat.
There were more chances for the RailRiders in the contest as they had 11 hits, the same amount as Indy, but they hit into a RailRiders record-tying five double plays. The only other time that has happened in the RailRiders’ era was in the 20-inning game in 2013 against Toledo.
The Indians tacked on a run in the bottom of the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Gamache.
Notes: Indianapolis picked up its first playoff win at home since Sept. 15, 2000, when the team beat the Red Barons in the Governors’ Cup Finals. … Indianapolis starter Wilfredo Boscan pitched seven innings and still hasn’t lost since June 22. … The winner of Game 1 of every postseason series the SWB franchise has played in since the Yankees took over in 2007 has ended up winning the series.
RailRiders 2, Bisons 0
RailRiders`AB`R`H`BI
Heathcott cf`5`1`2`0
Castillo 2b`4`0`2`2
Gamel lf`4`0`0`0
Sanchez c`3`1`2`0
Roller 1b`3`0`0`0
Segedin ph/1b`1`0`0`0
Judge rf`3`0`1`1
Figueroa 3b`4`0`1`0
Petit ss`4`0`1`0
Higashioka c`3`1`2`0
Cave ph`1`0`0`0
Totals`35`3`11`2
Indianapolis`AB`R`H`BI
Hanson 2b`4`1`1`0
Hernandez cf`4`0`1`0
Bell 1b`4`1`2`0
Garcia rf`4`1`1`1
Bowker dh`4`0`1`1
Rojas pr/dh`0`1`0`0
Broxton lf`3`1`2`0
Sanchez c`1`1`0`0
Gamache 3b`3`1`1`4
Nunez ss`4`0`2`1
Totals`31`7`11`7
RailRiders`000`000`o00`—`0
Indians`001`100`00x` —`2
E: Bell (1), Nunez (1). DP: Indians 5, RailRiders 2. LOB: Indians 5, RailRiders 7. 2B: Heathcott (1), Gamache (1). Outfield assists: Heathcott (Broxton at third), Garcia (Sanchez at first). SB: Hanson (1), Broxton 2 (2). CS: Nunez. SF: Gamache.
RailRiders`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Haynes (L, 0-1)`1.0`5`6`6`2`1
Mullee`4.0`3`0`0`0`3
Martin`1.o`0`0`0`1`1
Acevedo`2.0`3`1`1`1`2
Indianapolis`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Boscan (W, 1-0)`7.0`7`1`0`2`4
Morris `0.0`2`2`1`0`0
Bleich (H, 1)`0.2`1`0`0`0`2
Wall (S, 1)`1.1`1`0`0`0`1
WP: Morris, Wall
Umpires: HP: Chad Whitson. 1B: Seth Buckminster. 2B: Carlos Torres. 3B: Dave Soucy
T: 2:45. Att: 2,333