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Happy birthday Kate Frances Wisneski!

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State lawmaker joins 2018 GOP primary field for U.S. Senate

<p>MOOSIC &#8212; There was a minor scare during the top of the third inning Monday when Luis Cessa saw a comebacker drill his calf.</p><p>The 24-year-old righty stayed in the game, but there was slight reason for concern after 2-0 win when Cessa stood by his locker in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders clubhouse with a large wrap around his leg.</p><p>But RailRiders fans can take a sigh of relief.</p><p>Cessa confirmed Tuesday afternoon that he will still pitch Saturday against the Buffalo Bisons. The righty was only sporting a sleeve on his calf.</p><p><strong>Pitching staff filled with talent</strong></p><p>With both Chad Green and Chasen Shreve added to the roster the past two days, the RailRiders&#8217; pitching staff now sports five pitchers with major-league experience and two touted prospects.</p><p>Green, Shreve, Cessa and starter Johnny Barbato all pitched for the New York Yankees last season while closer Ernesto Frieri spent parts of seven seasons in the majors, including 2013 when he saved 37 games for the Los Angeles Angels.</p><p>On top of the big-league experience, relievers Giovanny Gallegos and Ben Heller are a pair of touted prospects. Gallegos is a top-30 Yankees prospect, according to Baseball America, and Heller came to the Yankees as a part of the Andrew Miller trade last August.</p><p>&#8220;I think we have a brilliant staff here. It&#8217;s amazing,&#8221; Cessa said. &#8220;These guys are so amazing. The competition is great. For me, a good competition is exciting. You compete with everybody here. It&#8217;s really nice. I think it&#8217;s a reason last year why we won the championship. We had a really great competition.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Green can finally settle in</strong></p><p>Five innings of four-run ball &#8212; three earned runs allowed &#8212; wasn&#8217;t exactly what Green was aiming for Tuesday night.</p><p>However, he did strike out eight batters and can finally settle into a groove.</p><p>Green has been up and down the coast this month.</p><p>After leaving the Yankees&#8217; major league camp at the beginning of April, Green went to Double-A Trenton still fighting for the last spot in New York&#8217;s rotation. However, Trenton&#8217;s opener was rained out and instead he pitched with Jordan Montgomery, who was also fighting for the starter job, in High-A Tampa on April 6.</p><p>Five days later, Green had lost the competition to Montgomery and was starting for the RailRiders.</p><p>&#8220;It was nice to just get here (Monday) knowing that I&#8217;ll be here for at least a little bit. Try to get settled into a place a little bit,&#8221; Green said. &#8220;I&#8217;ve been all around the country, but that&#8217;s alright. Just have to take what I did today and get ready for the next start.&#8221;</p><p>Even though he lost the job to Montgomery, the competition was a fun experience and something that will keep the firing burning as he waits for his next shot at an extended stay in the Bronx.</p><p>&#8220;I thought Montgomery deserved it. He threw really well toward the end of the spring,&#8221; Green said. &#8220;He&#8217;s looked good for a while, so I thought they&#8217;d give him a chance and see what he can do up there. He&#8217;s throwing the ball real well right now. I&#8217;m not holding it against anybody or whatever. It is what it is and it all plays out in the end. Hopefully we all get our shot up there and take advantage of it.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m just trying to focus on trying to get better every day. Try not to look at the big picture, just take it day-by-day.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders starting pitcher was Luis Cessa against the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs at PNC Fields for the season opener ---------------Fred Adams|for Times Leader 4-10-17</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_opener7_faa-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders starting pitcher was Luis Cessa against the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs at PNC Fields for the season opener ---------------Fred Adams|for Times Leader 4-10-17</caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By DJ Eberle</p><p>djeberle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach DJ Eberle at 570-991-6398 or on Twitter @ByDJEberle</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Observations from the SWB RailRiders’ 6-0 loss to Lehigh Valley