Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders still hunting for playoff berth after extra innings lost

MOOSIC — The atmosphere was set on Saturday for a historic night at PNC Field.

Pittston’s great football player Jimmy Cefalo, who starred for Penn State and played in two Super Bowls for the Miami Dolphins, was on hand and lauded before the game with a special ceremony.

And a sellout crowd of 10,000 on hand for the club’s seventh sellout of the season looking to be a part of history as the RailRiders tried to secure a playoff berth for the second consecutive year.

History was put on hold when Rochester scored on a bases-loaded walk in the top of the 11th inning off Nick Goody to defeat Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 5-4 and put the celebration on hold.

The RailRiders, who will try to clinch Sunday when they play at Rochester at 4 p.m., got two runners on on the bottom of the 11th but the runners were stranded when Jake Cave and Cito Culver both struck out.

The Red Wings broke a 4-4 tie in the inning when Nick Goody walked in a run with the bases loaded.

Being no-hit until two outs in the seventh inning by lefty Nick Greenwood, the RailRiders started a rally when Chris Parmelee doubled off Nick Greenwood for the team’s first hit. The next batter, Kyle Higashioka, boomed a long, towering homer to left field to pull SWB within two runs at 4-2.

In the next inning, the RailRiders got to Alan Busenitz for two runs to equal the score at 4-4. Mason Williams doubled in the third run and Parmelee hit a sac fly with the bases loaded to bring in the fourth run of the game.

Clint Frazier led off the bottom of the ninth with a single. After being sacrificed to second and advancing to third on a groundout, he was stranded there to force extra innings.

Rochester’s Byron Buxton homered to lead off the fourth inning giving the team a 1-0 lead. It was the fourth straight game that the Twins top prospect has homered. An error by third baseman Rob Refsnyder led to a sacrifice fly in the same inning giving the Red Wings a 2-0 advantage.

Catcher Mitch Garver clubbed his first Triple-A homer in the sixth inning off Dietrich Enns padding the Red Wings lead to 4-0.

Jimmy Cefalo reacts after throwing out a pitch at the RailRiders-Rochester game —————-Fred Adams|for Times Leader 8-27-16

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_cefalo1_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgJimmy Cefalo reacts after throwing out a pitch at the RailRiders-Rochester game —————-Fred Adams|for Times Leader 8-27-16

Jimmy Cafalo sits on home plate at PNC Fields as he is honored by local dignitaries —————-Fred Adams|for Times Leader 8-27-16

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_cefalo2_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgJimmy Cafalo sits on home plate at PNC Fields as he is honored by local dignitaries —————-Fred Adams|for Times Leader 8-27-16

Jimmy Cafalo says a few words at PNC Fields after he was honored by local dignataries —————-Fred Adams|for Times Leader 8-27-16

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_cefalo3_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgJimmy Cafalo says a few words at PNC Fields after he was honored by local dignataries —————-Fred Adams|for Times Leader 8-27-16

Chris Parmelee waits for a pitch from Rochester pitcher Nick Greenwood.

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_rr_roch1_faaCMYK.jpg.optimal.jpgChris Parmelee waits for a pitch from Rochester pitcher Nick Greenwood. Fred Adams | For Times Leader

RailRiders starting pitcher Phil Coke

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_rr_roch3_faaCMYK.jpg.optimal.jpgRailRiders starting pitcher Phil Coke Fred Adams | For Times Leader

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders shortstop Jonathan Diaz readies to catch a bouncing ground ball durinig Saturday’s game against Rochester at PNC Field.

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_rr_roch2_faaCMYK.jpg.optimal.jpgScranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders shortstop Jonathan Diaz readies to catch a bouncing ground ball durinig Saturday’s game against Rochester at PNC Field. Fred Adams | For Times Leader