Click here to subscribe today or Login.
Billy McKinney triggered a five-run ninth inning with a leadoff home run and Ji-Man Choi capped it with a two-run doulbe Monday as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders stormed back to edge Pawtucket, 6-5 at McCoy Stadium.
The victory gave the 51-32 RailRiders 14 wins in their past 20 games, and clinched their regular-season series against the 40-41 PawSox with three games remaining between the teams.
Just promoted from Double-A Trenton on Monday, reliever Nick Rumbelow earned the victory in his first Triple-A appearance since April of 2016.
Rumbelow pitched a scoreless eighth inning and induced a doubleplay grounder while facing just three batters to wrap up the game in the ninth.
McKinney was a first-round draft pick and the 24th overall by Oakland in 2013 — the same draft that current Yankees outfielders Clint Frazier went to Cleveland and Aaron Judge was selected by the Yankees. After being traded twice, McKinney, who came to the Yankees organization from the Chicago Cubs minor league system in the Aroldis Chapman trade last summer, delivered his second Triple-A home run in as many nights.
The RailRiders last-gasp rally threatened to dissipate following McKinney’s solo blast, as Pawtucket reliever Noe Ramirez recorded two outs.
But Abiatal Avelino worked a walk, took second base on defensive indifference, and Wilkin Castillo brought him home with a two-strike single to pull the RailRiders within 5-3. Jake Cave drew a walk, then Donovan Solano greeted new pitcher Austin Maddox with an RBI single as the RailRiders closed within a run.
Choi followed with his double, driving home Cave and Solano to put the RailRiders on top and set the final score.
Pawtucket starter Edgar Olmos held the RailRiders to one run on six hits over 7 2/3 innings, but watched as the PawSox bullpen squandered the lead.
Brock Holt help build Pawtucket’s big advantage with three RBI, including a two-run homer in the fifth inning, while former big leaguer Pablo Sandoval joined him with two hits for the PawSox.
Rumbelow was transferred to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre prior to the game, while lefthanded pitcher Nestor Cortes was transferred from the RailRiders to Trenton.
RailRiders 6, Pawtucket 5
RailRiders`AB`R`H`BI
Cave cf`4`1`0`0
Solano 2b`4`1`2`1
Choi dh`5`0`2`2
Andujar 3b`5`1`1`0
McKinney lf`4`1`3`2
Fleming 1b`4`0`0`0
Payton rf`4`0`1`0
Avelino ss`2`1`0`0
Castillo c`4`1`1`1
Totals`36`6`10`6
Pawtucket`AB`R`H`BI
Holt lf`4`1`2`3
Peralta 3b`4`0`0`0
Sandoval dh`4`0`2`0
Brentz rf`4`1`1`0
Selsky cf`4`0`0`0
Dominguez 1b`4`0`0`0
Miller ss`3`2`1`1
Meneses 2b`3`0`0`0
Butler c`4`1`1`1
Totals`34`5`7`5
RailRiders`000`100`005`—`6
Pawtucket`010`301`000`—`5
2B — Andujar (4), Choi (15); Brentz (13), Miller (8), Butler (10). HR — McKinney (2); Holt (3).
RailRiders`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Herrera`6`5`5`4`1`3
Holder`1`1`0`0`0`2
Rumbelow, W (1-0)`2`1`0`0`1`2
Pawtucket`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Olmos`7.2`6`1`1`1`3
Ramirez, H (2)`1`2`4`4`2`1
Maddoz, L (2-1), BS (1)`0.1`2`1`1`0`0