RailRiders pull away late in shutout win over Jacksonville

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders blanked the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 5-0 Wednesday evening at 121 Financial Ballpark. Clayton Beeter struck out nine over 5.2 innings and Luis Torrens drove in four of the five runs as the RailRiders won their second straight and for the sixth time on their current two-week road trip.

Beeter was matched up against MLB rehabber Braxton Garrett and the duo dueled over the first five innings. Garrett walked three RailRiders over the first three innings and didn’t allow a hit until Greg Allen singled with one out in the top of the fifth. Beeter matched Garret frame for frame and didn’t allow a base hit until the bottom of the fourth.

In the top of the sixth, the RailRiders opened the scoring. Everson Pereira singled and advanced to second on a base hit by T.J. Rumfield. With two outs, Luis Torrens doubled off the right-field wall, driving in Pereira to give Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a 1-0 lead.

In the eighth, the RailRiders sent seven to the plate, scoring four times to extend the lead for good. Brandon Lockridge scored on a fielder’s choice to put SWB up 2-0. With two aboard and two outs, Torrens lined a payoff pitch from Eli Villalobos over the short wall down the right field line for a three-run homer for a 5-0 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lead. It was Torrens’ second home run of the year; both of which have come on this two-week road swing.

Beeter (W, 3-1) earned the win, allowing two hits and walking four. Art Warren retired the only batter he faced in his RailRiders debut. Cody Morris worked 2.1 scoreless innings, striking out four, and Duane Underwood, Jr. recorded the final two outs to seal Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s second shutout of the season.

Luarbert Arias (L, 1-1) allowed the sixth inning run and took the loss for the Jumbo Shrimp.

Pereira and Torrens led the offense with two hits each, while Torrens drove in four of the five runs.

Game three of this six-game set is slated for Thursday at 7:05 p.m. The RailRiders send lefty Tanner Tully to the bump against Darren McCaughan and the Jumbo Shrimp.