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MOOSIC — Cito Culver was looking for an opportunity to break out.
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders infielder’s chance came with bright, flashing lights in Thursday night’s series opener against the Louisville Bats.
While Culver struggled in the field — committing a pair of errors — he was the RailRiders’ most productive player at the plate as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (10-9) out-hit Louisville (8-12) in an offensive barrage, winning 10-5. Each RailRider had at least one hit and together the RailRiders had 13.
The New York Yankees’ first-round selection in 2010 went 3 for 4 with a pair of home runs, a double and 4 RBI.
“I try to take advantage of every opportunity I get,” Culver said. “I’ve been feeling good this whole time, just not having consistent at-bats is tough. I’ve never done that before, so I’m trying to figure out how to stay ready and keep grinding and keep my work crisp. It felt good today at the plate, obviously, and I’m going to try to repeat.
“We were talking about it before the game,” he continued. “Like, ‘It’s about time everyone gets two hits and we score 14 runs.’ We ended up scoring 10 tonight. It was due. We were due as a team tonight to have a really good game.”
Heading into the season, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders manager Al Pedrique described Culver’s role as the team’s utility man. However, with RailRiders third baseman Donovan Solano suffering a pulled calf, which sent him to the disabled list Thursday, Culver’s role could expand.
He made the most of Thursday’s start — playing in his 10th game of the season — and was able to bump up his batting average by 45 percentage points — from .155 to .200.
“I give him a lot of credit. He’s been hanging in there, working hard day in and day out on his defense and in the cage every day,” Pedrique said. “You can tell that he’s starting to mature as a player, understanding what he needs to do in order to be ready, improve in all the areas of the game. Everybody in the locker room is very happy for the game he had tonight.”
If he plays more regularly at third moving forward, Culver believes he can limit his errors in the field.
“I don’t think I’ve played the same position two days in a row, yet,” Culver said. “Trying to balance like my work in (batting practice) and getting my throws in without killing myself is something that’s new to me. It’s going to take me a little while to get used to that. My defense has always been the biggest part of my game.”
The RailRiders quickly worked out to a 6-0 lead just three innings in, but saw their cushion evaporate in the fifth. The Bats were able to get after Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter Chad Green after the righty was able to sit down the first two hitters, but Brandon Dixon’s full-count walk got things going.
Tyler Goeddel got the Bats on the board with an RBI single to left field, only to come around the bases two batters later as Dilson Herrera laced a two-run single into left field. A pair of RBI singles by Sebastian Elizalde and Tony Renda got the Bats back in things, 6-5.
But as the RailRiders have shown this series, they were able to respond.
A fourth-inning solo shot by Dustin Fowler and a fifth-inning solo shot by Culver sandwiching a fifth-inning Ruben Tejada sacrifice fly widened the gap once again, making it 9-5 with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. And the RailRiders weren’t done, either.
RailRiders catcher Eddy Rodriguez singled through the third-base hole to continue the fifth inning. After advancing to second base with on a wild pitch, Rodriguez scored on a Tyler Wade single to left field that resulted in an error by Bats left fielder Phillip Ervin.
“That’s what we want to see from the developmental part. The guys understand they have to play 27 outs,” Pedrique said.
Solano to the DL
RailRiders infielder Donovan Solano was place on the seven-day disabled list Thursday. He’s expected to be out roughly three weeks, according to Pedrique.
Solano pulled his right calf laying down a sacrifice bunt in Wednesday’s win.
The RailRiders called up infielder Billy Fleming from Double-A Trenton as the corresponding move. Fleming didn’t play in the win.
Sanchez making his return to NEPA
New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez is expected to join the RailRiders in Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters before Thursday’s game.
Sanchez, who is currently on the 10-day DL with a bicep strain, will both catch and be the designated hitter during his rehab stint with the RailRiders, according to MLB.com Yankees writer Bryan Hoch.
“I wouldn’t think (the rehab assignment) would be too many days,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “He has been out three and a half weeks by the time he goes on rehab. You’re going to want to get him some at-bats, but it shouldn’t be too long.”
Tuesday will be Sanchez’s first game back with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre since August 2, 2016, which was also a visit to the IronPigs. He was 0 for 3 with a walk in the game.
Up next
The RailRiders are back in action Friday night when they host the Indianapolis Indians, in the first of a three-game set. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
The Bats travel to Rochester for a three-game series.
RailRiders 10, Louisville 5
Louisville`AB`R`H`BI
Perez ss`4`1`1`0
Herrera 2b`5`1`2`2
Elizalde lf`5`0`2`1
Renda 3b`4`0`2`1
Winker rf`4`0`1`0
Ervin lf`4`0`1`0
Dixon 1b`3`1`0`0
Wallach c`4`1`1`0
Goeddel cf`4`1`1`1
Totals`37`5`11`5
RailRiders`AB`R`H`BI
Wade ss`4`0`2`0
Frazier lf`5`1`1`0
Fowler rf`5`1`1`1
Refsnyder 1b`4`0`1`1
Payton dh`5`2`2`0
Williams cf`3`0`1`0
Tejada 2b`2`2`1`1
Culver 3b`4`3`3`4
Rodriguez c`4`1`1`0
Totals`36`10`13`7
E: Dixon (4), Wallach (1), Perez (4), Ervin (2), Culver 2 (2). LOB: Bats 7, RailRiders 7. 2B: Perez (4), Frazier (7), refsnyder (5), Culver (1). HR: Culver 2 (2), Fowler (3). SF: Tejada. SB: Wade (7), Payton (10).
Louisville`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Bonilla (L, 2-1)`4.2`10`9`5`1`4
Luetge`1.1`2`1`0`0`2
Brice`1.0`2`1`0`0`2
Coleman`1.0`0`0`0`1`2
RailRiders`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Green`3.2`8`5`5`2`4
Mantiply (W, 1-1)`3.1`2`0`0`0`4
Shreve`1.0`0`0`0`0`3
Heller`1.0`1`0`0`0`1
WP: Bonilla 2, Luetge.
Umpires: Ryan Clark, HP; Scott Costello, 1B; Shane Livensparger, 3B.
T: 2:38. Att: 4,026.