Keaton Anthony was wearing an 0-for-4 at the plate and committed an error that led to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s go-ahead run in the eighth inning of Thursday’s game at СŷƵ.
But Anthony atoned for the tough night with a two-run single with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth to give the IronPigs a 6-5 victory in front of 10,100 fans at Coca-Cola Park.
Anthony extended his hitting streak to 13 games with the game-winning hit and ended СŷƵ’s six-game home losing streak.
Andrew Painter allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings. He threw a season-high 95 pitches, 65 for strikes. The right-hander struck out seven and walked one.
Game notes
Catcher Garrett Stubbs, who left Wednesday’s game after the first inning, did not play Thursday but did take part in pre-game infield work and batting practice.
RHP Brett de Geus left Thursday’s game without throwing a pitch. He suffered an undisclosed injury while throwing his warm-up pitches prior to the top of the seventh inning. Nolan Hoffman came in de Geus’ place.
The IronPigs held a moment of silence for Marty Ondrovic, who passed away last week. The 92-year-old spent decades umpiring area baseball and football games, as well as time working with the umpires at Coca-Cola Park.
Thursday’s game was delayed 88 minutes because of rain. It was the seventh time since June 15 that weather affected IronPigs’ home games.
Roster moves
RHPs Nabil Crismatt and RHP Joel Kuhnel opted out of their contracts. They were granted their release by the Phillies, leaving the short-handed IronPigs even more short-handed.
Crismatt, who was scheduled to start Saturday’s game at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, was 4-5 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 15 starts this season, his first in the organization. He spent time in the majors the previous five years with the Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Padres and Dodgers.
Kuhnel spent parts of five previous seasons in the majors with the Reds, Astros and Rays. He was 3-1 with two saves, a 3.62 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 26 games this year with the IronPigs.
СŷƵ already has a bullpen game slated for Sunday’s series finale in Moosic against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
How they scored
Bottom 1: Justin Crawford led off with a double that was lost in the twilight by several RailRiders and scored on Weston Wilson’s single. IronPigs 1-0.
Top 4: Spencer Jones, the Yankees’ No. 2 prospect, doubled to finish off an eight-pitch at-bat and scored on Everson Pereira’s single. T.J. Rumfield walked. Jose Rojas singled in Pereira. Andrew Velazquez then doubled in Rumfield and Rojas. RailRiders 4-1.
Bottom 6: Weston Wilson and Gabriel Rincones singled with one out. Wilson scored on a Carlos Carrasco balk. RailRiders 4-2.
Bottom 7: Rafael Lantigua and Rodolfo Castro has infield singles with one out. After Crawford walked to load the bases, Wilson doubled in Lantigua and Castro. Tied 4-4.
Top 8: Rumfield reached on Keaton Anthony’s fielding error, took second on a wild pitch, third on Jose Rojas’ single off Anthony’s glove and scored on Bryan De La Cruz’s double-play grounder. RailRiders 5-4.
Bottom 9: Lantigua walked to lead off. Wilson and Rincones walked with two outs to load the bases. After a pitching change, Anthony worked a full count before lining a 104-mph ball off the right-field wall to score Lantigua and Wilson. IronPigs 6-5.
Up next
RHP Alan Rangel (4-2, 4.96 ERA) faces Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RHP Brendan Beck (1-0, 1.74) in a 6:35 p.m. start from PNC Field in Moosic in the first of a three-game series. СŷƵ then heads to Syracuse for a six-game series starting Tuesday.
Senior writer Tom Housenick can be reached at thousenick@mcall.com
