Rain, Red Sox stop RailRiders

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders lost a rain-shortened game to the Worcester Red Sox 15-5 Sunday afternoon. The RailRiders return home to PNC Field to celebrate Independence Day on July 4.

Worcester took a four-point lead early in the first. Bobby Dalbec singled in Chase Meidroth and Mickey Gasper’s fielder’s choice scored Nathan Hickey for a 2-0 lead. With two outs, Matthew Lugo doubled in two, making the score 4-0.

The RailRiders took the lead in the bottom of the second. With two outs, Jeter Downs safely reached his tenth straight game and Taylor Trammell followed with a hit. Brandon Lockridge got SWB on the board with an RBI single to make it 4-1.

The WooSox came down the order and scored five runs in the top of the fourth inning. Meidroth singled to score Lugo, giving them a 5-1 lead. After Hickey walked to load the bases, Dalbec hit a single to score another run, giving Worcester a five-run advantage. Gasper’s three-run double sailed through the bases, giving the Red Sox a 9-1 lead.

SWB struck back in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, Downs doubled for the 14th time this season and Trammell walked to put runners on the corners. After Lockridge walked to load the bases, Oswald Peraza singled to score two runs, making it 9-3.

A three-run fifth inning gave Worcester a nine-run lead. A two-run home run by Tyler Heineman and an RBI single by Meidroth gave the Red Sox a 12-3 lead.

Two runs in the sixth put SWB within seven. After Oscar Gonzalez walked and Trammell singled, Lockridge’s second RBI single scored Gonzalez and Peraza’s hit made it 12-5.

In the top of the seventh, Gasper’s single scored Eddy Alvarez to give Worcester a 13-5 advantage.

Mark Contreras’ two-run homer in the top of the eighth gave Worcester a double-digit lead at 15-5.

Will Warren (L, 5-5) worked 3.2 innings, allowing nine runs on 10 hits and striking out six. Grant Gambrell pitched 3.2 innings in the start for Worcester, allowing three runs on six hits. Brad Keller (W, 2-1) followed Gambrell, allowing two runs on five hits.

The RailRiders will play at Lehigh Valley on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. and return to PNC Field on July 4 to host the IronPigs. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. and the Independence Day game will be followed by an extended fireworks display presented by the Pennsylvania Lottery. Tickets are available at www.swbrailriders.com.