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Local Focus: Matt Wotherspoon returns to the bullpen

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Tyler Webb shines in RailRiders 2-0 win over the Norfolk Tides

PNC Field has been the place to be this season for high school baseball.The venue has hosted multiple games following RailRiders&#8217; Sunday matchups. On June 5 one of the premier contests will be held when the Field of Dreams senior all-star game takes place. The game pits standouts from the Lackawanna League and Wyoming Valley Conference with start time slated for approximately 6 p.m.Sticking with another tradition, PNC Field will also host the District 2 championships on Monday consisting of four games starting at 10 a.m.The first game of the day features a pair of Wyoming Valley Conference teams with seventh-seeded Northwest Area facing No. 9 seed Hanover Area in the Class 2A final. At 1 p.m., the 3A final will feature Valley View versus North Pocono followed by the 4A final between Delaware Valley and Wyoming Valley West. The day of ball concludes at 7 p.m. when Blue Ridge faces Forest City in the Class A final.Gary Ruby, who spent 29 seasons coaching on the professional level and is the father of RailRiders general manager Jeremy Ruby, will be at his old stomping grounds helping out Valley View.In case you missed itSure the RailRiders have the best record in the International League, but the biggest news surrounding the ballclub last week had to do with roster moves.Catcher Gary Sanchez, who is considered the Yankees&#8217; No. 2 prospect by several outlets, will miss at least two weeks after being placed on the disabled list with a non-displaced fracture of his right thumb. Sanchez was hit by a ball that was fouled off while catching a game against Louisville. Sanchez will be re-evaluated again in two weeks.In another big roster move, outfielder Slade Heathcott, who was in the SWB opening day lineup in each of the last two years, was released from the organization. Heathcott was batting just .230 this season with no home runs, seven RBI and just six extra-base hits in 23 games for the RailRiders. He was currently spending time on the disabled list.Don&#8217;t miss thisThere&#8217;s two huge days of promotions this week when the RailRiders return home. On Friday, the team will be giving out a Greg Bird bobblehead, where the slugger is hatching out of an egg, to the first 2,500 fans. Along with that giveaway, there&#8217;s a fireworks show following the game and it&#8217;s Glow in the Park Friday when the team wears its black and neon green uniforms.The next afternoon, there&#8217;s a headphones giveaway to the first 2,500 fans, while three legends will also be on hand with Bucky Dent, Chris Chambliss and Roy White.Looking aheadSeeing a new opponent for the first time this season will continue for three more series over the next two weeks with Durham and Columbus on the slate this week.On Sunday, the teams end a three-game series with Norflk, which the RailRiders saw for the first time this season. On Monday, they travel a little further south to Durham, N.C. to face the Bulls.Normally, Durham is at or near the top of the standings in the I.L. South. This season though, they entered the weekend 10 games under the .500 mark. Last year, the RailRiders won five of the eight games against Durham including sweeping all four at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.Following the series in North Carolina, the RailRiders return home to face Columbus for four games. The Clippers entered the weekend just a half game behind Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the best record in the I.L. When the teams met last year, they split the six games with SWB winning two at PNC Field and one in Columbus.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Dave Rosengrantdrosengrant@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Dave Rosengrant at 570-991-6398 or on Twitter @tldrosengrant</shirttailMeta></div>

RailRiders’ PNC Field hosting five high school games in seven days