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MOOSIC — Backs against the wall, the RailRiders turned to their team ace to try to stop the bleeding and extend the season in the International League semifinals on Friday night at PNC Field.

Right-hander Kyle Davies did just that for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre tossing one of the best games in his career. But when he handed off the ball to the ever-trusty bullpen, that has been fantastic all season, the improbable occurred.

Indianapolis scored four runs in the top of the ninth off reliever Johnny Barbato, spoiling Davis’ dynamic outing and ended Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s season with a 4-2 win to sweep the best-of-five series.

Barbato relieved Davies — who spun eight shutout innings — in the ninth and struggled with command. He got in trouble after allowing a leadoff walk to Dan Gamache. Barbato ran into some tough luck as a flyball to center trickled out of the glove of a diving Slade Heathcott for a single.

An infield single over the head of third baseman Cole Figueroa, who was playing in against the speedy Hanson, who was showing bunt. A hit batter with the bases scored the Indians’ first run before a sac fly tied the game at 2-2. Disaster struck when veteran John Boker singled in two runs giving the Indians a 4-2 lead.

Barbato had been solid all season for the RailRiders and hadn’t pitched in the series yet. He entered with a 4-0 record this season for SWB with a minuscule ERA of 0.36 allowing just one run in 25 innings with 0.96 WHIP.

The pesky RailRiders didn’t want their season to end. The peskiest of the bunch Ben Gamel led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, his fourth hit of the game. After Gary Sanchez reached on a force out to erase Gamel, Kyle Roller struck out and Aaron Judge singled. Cole Figueroa walked to load the bases, but Gregorio Petit grounded out to end the season in a game of missed opportunities.

The RailRiders took their first lead of the series in the top of the first when Slade Heathcott (2 for 4) singled to leadoff the game, stole third and scored when the throw sailed into left field for a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning is when the blown chances started as Gamel was stranded on second base.

The RailRiders had plenty of chances to increase the lead from 1-0 stranding seven on base in the first four innings. The biggest opportunity that passed was in the fourth inning with the bases loaded with one out, but Heathcott and Ali Castillo both struck out swinging against Pirates top prospect Tyler Glasnow.

SWB finally came through in the fifth inning after getting the first two runners on base when Gamel singled and Gary Sanchez walked. Two batters later, Figueroa singled to score Gamel giving the RailRiders a 2-0 lead.

More chances went by the waist side in the sixth inning when two batters were left on base, and one more in the eighth before the bases were left loaded in the ninth. On the night, the RailRiders were 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position and left 15 runners on base.

Davies, who has been a hard-luck loser all season despite leading the team with 11 wins, allowed three runs or less for the 14th time in his last 15 games. He gave the team the boost it needed tossing eight shutout innings, allowing just two hits and one walk while facing just one batter over the minimum. He was one top of his game so much that it was one of the best games in his 14-year career.

He lasted eight innings for the second time this season to tie a career high. The only other time he lasted eight innings and didn’t allow any runs was while pitching for Kansas City in 2008.

Davies allowed a leadoff single to Alen Hanson, the first batter of the game. After a double play erased the speedster, Davies went on to retire the next 14 batters, facing the minimum in that span, before Tony Sanchez singled to start the sixth. The right-hander then walked Gorkys Hernandez to begin the seventh inning, but that was ousted on a double play and he faced the minimum once again over the last three innings after Sanchez’ single as his outing came to an end. He might have been able to start the ninth, but he had thrown 95 pitches at that point.

Notes: The game was played on the anniversary of two heart-breaking days in franchise history. On Sept. 11, 2010, the SWB Yankees were eliminated by Columbus in the opening round. On Sept. 11, 2001, a devastating day in the history of the country, the Red Barons and Louisville learned that their Governors’ Cup Championship series would end prematurely with Louisville being crowned the league champs after winning Game 1 of the series. …The RailRiders were 4 for 25 with runners in scoring position in the three-game series.

Indians 4, RailRiders 2

Indianapolis`AB`R`H`BI

Hanson 2b`4`1`2`0

Hernandez cf`2`1`0`1

Bell 1b`3`0`0`1

Garcia rf`4`0`1`0

Bowker dh`4`0`1`2

Rojas Jr. pr`0`0`0`0

Broxton lf`4`0`0`0

Sanchez c`4`0`1`0

Gamache 3b`2`1`0`0

Nunez ss`2`0`0`0

Totals`30`4`6`4

RailRiders`AB`R`H`BI

Heathcott cf`5`1`2`0

Castillo 2b`5`0`1`0

Gamel lf`4`1`4`0

Sanchez dh`4`0`0`0

Roller 1b`5`0`0`0

Judge rf`5`0`2`0

Figueroa 3b`3`0`2`1

Petit ss`4`0`0`0

Graterol c`3`0`1`0

Totals`38`2`12`1

Indianapolis`000`000`o04`—`4

RailRiders`100`010`000` —`2

E: T. Sanchez (1). DP: Indians 0, RailRiders 2. LOB: Indians 3, RailRiders 15. SF: Bell. SAC: Petit. SB: Rojas Jr. (1), Heathcott (1), Gamel (1), Figueroa (1).

Indianapolis`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Glasnow `5.0`7`2`1`3`7

Morris (W, 1-0) `3.0`3`0`0`0`3

Wood (S, 1)`1.0`2`0`0`1`1

RailRiders`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Davies `8.0`2`0`0`1`5

Barbato (BS, 1 L, 0-1)`0.1`4`4`4`1`0

Montgomery`0.2`0`0`0`0`1

HBP: Hernandez (by Barbato), Graterol (by Glasnow)

Umpires: HP: Carlos Torres. 1B: Dave Soucy. 2B: Chad Whitson. 3B: Seth Buckminster

T: 2:56. Att: 4,507

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_RailRiders-Logo.jpg.optimal.jpg

By Dave Rosengrant

[email protected]

The T.L. Express

Game Highlights: Indianapolis scored four runs in the top of the ninth against Johnny Barbato to shock the RailRiders and end their season. …Kyle Davies had a career game tossing eight shutout innings of two-hit ball. …Ben Gamel led the offense going 4 for 4, while Slade Heathcott, Aaron Judge and Cole Figueroa all picked up two hits.

Riding the Rails: The Yankees called up another RailRiders reliever on Friday with big righty Chris Martin making the trip to New York. SWB received fellow righty Giovanny Gallegos from Double-A Trenton.

HOW THEY SCORED

RAILRIDERS FIRST: Slade Heathcott singled and moved to second on a groundout by Ali Castillo. Heathcott stole third and scored when the throw went into left field. Ben Gamel walked. Gary Sanchez struck out and Gamel stole second. Kyle Roller fouled out. RAILRIDERS 1-0

RAILRIDERS FIFTH: Gamel singled. Sanchez walked. Roller reached on a fielder’s choice, Sanchez out at second. Aaron Judge flied out. Cole Figueroa singled to score Gamel. Gregorio Petit struck out. RAILRIDERS 2-0

INDIANAPOLIS NINTH: Dan Gamache walked. Steve Lombardozzi singled. Alen Hanson singled to load the bases. Gorkys Hernandez was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Josh Bell hit a sac fly. Willy Garcia singled to load the bases. John Bowker singled driving in Hanson and Hernandez. Mark Montgomery replaced Johnny Barbato. Keon Broxton struck out. Tony Sanchez grounded out. INDIANAPOLIS 4-2

Reach Dave Rosengrant at 570-991-6398 or on Twitter @tldrosengrant