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MOOSIC — The short power drought is over for the baseball-bashing Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

All because Ike Davis happens to have a pretty good golf swing.

Davis drove a low, inside pitch deep over the right field wall to complete a four-run fifth inning Saturday as the RailRiders recovered from a very shaky start to rally past Durham 5-4 at PNC Field.

The RailRiders were bailed out of deep danger by reliever Jonathan Holder, who entered a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the eighth inning and retired three straight batters to protect a one-run lead.

The shot by Davis made a winner of Dietrich Enns (4-1), who was victimized by a lack of command — and some dubious defense by his teammates — while falling behind 3-1 in the game.

A throwing error by RailRiders shortstop Pete Kozma — who made a superb diving stop of J.P. Ancibia’s infield single before firing wildly past first base — allowed Daniel Robertson to score from first with the game’s first run.

And in the fifth, Durham’s Jaff Decker dumped a hit in front of Mason Williams in right field and wound up with what was generously scored a triple as the ball bounced away from Williams. It set up Dayron Varona’s run-scoring single for a 3-1 Bulls lead.

To make matters worse, the RailRiders failed to capitalize on a bases-loaded opportunity for the fourth time in two nights when Donovan Solano grounded into an inning-ending double play to finish the first.

No wonder Scranton/Wilkes-Barre manager Al Pedrique is starting to get frustrated with the way his International League North Division-leading RailRiders are suddenly starting to look a little rickety.

“We’ve got talent,” Pedrique said Friday after getting ejected as the RailRiders lost a two-run lead before recovering for a 10-inning victory. “We’ve got all the guys who play the game the right way. I got frustrated when they (the Bulls) took the lead.”

All that was erased by one swing from Davis.

The former New York Mets and Yankees slugger walloped a ball over the wall for the RailRiders’ first homer in three games — an eternity for the International League’s fourth-best long ball team. In fact, the RailRiders longest stretch without homering this season stands at three games.

Davis made sure the team didn’t match it.

Trailing 3-1 in the fifth, the RailRiders tied it when Gary Sanchez looped a single into right field to score Cesar Puello and Jonathan Diaz. Two pitches later, Davis teed up a two-run blast into the third row of stands fronting the Budweiser Railhouse in right field.

Holder made sure it stood up.

After Johnny Barbato ran into trouble by surrendering two singles and a walk to fill the bases in the eighth inning, he walked Richie Shaffer to force home a run as the Bulls pulled within 5-4 with nobody out.

Enter Holder, who held the RailRiders advantage.

He struck out Johnny Field, struck out Hank Conger, and then retired leadoff man Decker to end the threat.

Holder, who was 3-1 with 10 saves for Double-A Trenton, earned his first save for the RailRiders by retiring the side in order in the ninth. He finished with three strikeouts while setting down all six men he faced.

RailRiders 5, Druham 4

Durham`AB`R`H`BI

Decker rf`5`1`1`0

Robertson 2b`4`2`1`0

Varona lf`5`0`2`1

Arencibia c`5`1`3`1

Gillaspie 1b`4`0`1`0

Motter ss`2`0`1`0

Shaffer 3b`2`0`0`1

Field cf`4`0`1`0

Conger dh`3`0`1`0

Totals`34`4`11`3

RailRiders`AB`R`H`BI

Gamel cf`5`1`1`0

Williams rf`4`0`1`1

Sanchez c`4`1`2`2

Davis dh`3`1`1`2

Austin 1b`3`0`2`0

Solano 3b`4`0`1`0

Kozma ss`4`0`0`0

Puello lf`3`1`2`0

Diaz 2b`3`1`0`0

Totals`33`5`10`5

Durham`101`010`010`—`4

RailRiders`100`004`00x`—`5

E: Kozma (13). DP: Durham 1, RaiRiders 2. LOB: Durham 9, RailRiders 8. 2B: Robertson (13), Williams (2); Austin (17). 3B: Decker (2). HR: Davis (3). SB: Motter (13); Decker (14), Puello 3 (16). CS: Varona (3); Field (4).

Durham`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Pruitt (L, 7-6)`6.0 `9`5`5`2`5

Geltz `1.0 `1`0`0`1`1

Markel `1.0 `0`0`0`0`2

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

Enns (W, 4-1)`5.0`9`3`2`2`2

Webb (H, 4)`1.2`0`0`0`2`1

Barbato (H, 3)`0.1`2`1`1`2`0

Holder (S, 1)`2.0`0`0`0`0`3

HBP: Puello (by Markel).

Umpires: HP: John Bacon. 1B: James Rackley. 3B: Jeremy Riggs.

T: 3:12. Att: 10,000.

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_SWB-logo-5.jpg.optimal.jpg

By Paul Sokoloski

[email protected]

T.L. Express

Give the game ball to Jonathan Holder. The RailRiders reliever, just up from Double-A Trenton, entered the game with the bases loaded and nobody out in the eighth inning of a one-run game and protected Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s 5-4 victory over Durham. He set the side down in order in the ninth to earn his first save with the RailRiders, but his two strikeouts and an inning-ending ground out to escape a major threat saved the day for the RailRiders.

Next Up: The RailRiders close their four-game set with Durham at 1:05 p.m. today at PNC Field.

Probable Pitchers: RailRiders RLHP Kyle Haynes (3-4, 4.65) vs. Durham RHP Eddie Gamboa (4-2, 2.13).

Fun for Fans: It’s another Sunday Fun Day, as kids can run the bases for free following the game.

On Deck: The RailRiders open a three-game set against Buffalo as Luis Severino looks to pick up his eighth Triple-A win of the season and move to 15-1 for the RailRiders over the past two years.

On TV: The series finale with Buffalo will feature Brady Lail making his second start since June 14 during a 12:05 p.m. game Wednesday shown on WQMY (MyTV).

On Radio: All RailRiders games can be heard live on The Game Radio Network (100.7-FM, 106.7-FM, 1340-AM, 1400-AM, 1440-AM) with John Sadak and Darren Headrick.

HOW THEY SCORED

DURHAM FIRST: Daniel Robertson drew a walk, then came all the way around to score when RailRiders shortstop Pete Kozma made a diving stop of J.P. Arencibia’s single but threw the ball past first base. DURHAM 1-0

RAILRIDERS FIRST: Ben Gamel laced an opposite-field single into left field, then Mason Williams followed by roping an RBI double into the left field corner. RAILRIDERS 1, DURHAM 1

DURHAM THIRD: Robertson doubled to left field and moved to third base when Dayron Varona singled to center. Arencibia’s single to center brought Robertson home. DURHAM 2-1

DURHAM FIFTH: Jaff Decker dropped a hit into right field that was ruled a triple when RailRiders outfielder Mason Williams over-ran, then misplayed. Decker rode home on Varona’s two-out line single into center field. DURHAM 3-1

RAILRIDERS FIFTH: Cesar Puello dropped a single down the left field line, then Jonathan Diaz drew a walk. Both runners moved up when Williams bounced out to second base for the inning’s second out. Gary Sanchez saved the inning by looping a two-run single into right field, bringing home Puello and Diaz. Ike Davis then golfed a mammoth, two-run home run over the right field wall. RAILRIDERS 5-3

DURHAM EIGHTH: Arencibia and Casey Gillaspie both singled, and Taylor Motter drew a walk to fill the bases. Richie Shaffer then worked a walk to force home Arencibia. RAILRIDERS 5, DURHAM 4

Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on Twitter @TLPaulSokoloski