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Young People in Recovery launches Wilkes-Barre group

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NAMI Walk for Mental Health inspires hope in participants

MOOSIC &#8212; If you looked at the box score after Sunday&#8217;s game against the Rochester Red Wings, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders shortstop Cito Culver wouldn&#8217;t likely stand out.But standing in the infield at PNC Field swarmed by his teammates, it didn&#8217;t matter Culver went 0 for 5 at the plate. He was the difference.Playing into the 11th inning for the second straight day, Clint Frazier stood on third with Mason Williams on first with just one out. There was no doubt in Culver&#8217;s mind. The opportunity was there.He was going to lay down a bunt.With the safety squeeze on, Culver sent his bunt halfway up the first base line, and with the speed of Frazier at third, Rochester first baseman Matt Hague didn&#8217;t have a prayer. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (24-17) won in a walk-off fashion 5-4 in back-to-back games over the Red Wings (19-19).&#8220;I thought it&#8217;d be a really good idea. I looked down at (RailRiders manager) Al (Pedrique) during that mound visit and he kind of put the sign on and I was like, &#8216;Yeah,&#8217;&#8221; Culver said of the at-bat. &#8220;It&#8217;s just nice to get the win. We&#8217;ve had so many extra-inning games this homestand &#8212;it&#8217;s been a long homestand &#8212; but I&#8217;m happy to come out on top.&#8221;Not only did Culver come through in the clutch at the plate, but he made a handful of impressive plays at short, too.The 24-year-old, who prides himself on his defense, started a pair of double plays and converted on three straight groundouts during the sixth inning. The double play Culver started in the 11th inning, by catching a J.B. Shuck line drive, erased Rochester&#8217;s lone threat in the extra innings.&#8220;I just go out there and I try to have my pitcher&#8217;s back,&#8221; Culver said. &#8220;I want them to know if the ground ball&#8217;s hit to me, it&#8217;s an out. I just try to do my best and get to every ball I can get to and make good plays and make good throws. I was able to do that today.&#8220;I&#8217;m a big fan of reading swings. I like to watch the game and see what guys are looking like that day. Their three hitter (Daniel Palka) &#8212; the big lefty &#8212; he&#8217;s a big pull guy and today he was looking to go back through the middle. That last line drive (in the 10th) I kind of slid more toward behind second base, just trying to read swings and put myself in the best position to make outs.&#8221;While Culver was impressive with his leather Sunday, RailRiders catcher Wilkin Castillo had some nice plays behind the plate as well.After Sunday&#8217;s fifth-inning throw out of Palka, Castillo notched a caught-stealing percentage of 50 (5 for 10).Just as impressive, after Bengie Gonzalez reached first base on infield single to second base to start the third inning, Castillo erased the hit in the next at-bat. The 32-year-old catcher caught Gonzalez sleeping and threw down to RailRiders first baseman Mike Ford to get the out.Through 41 games this season, the RailRiders rank first in the International League in caught-stealing efficiency, throwing out 19 of 37 base runners.&#8220;You&#8217;re going to have to execute when the game&#8217;s on the line, and that&#8217;s what we&#8217;ve been doing lately,&#8221; Pedrique said. &#8220;The catchers have done a great job of throwing people out at second base. Wilkin did a great job with that back-door pick at first base. Definitely helps pitchers when you kill a rally like that and gets the momentum to our side.&#8221;With reliever Eric Ruth spot-starting for Bryan Mitchell, who was called up by New York before the game, Pedrique knew he would have to go to his bullpen early and often.The RailRiders relievers did more than enough. Colten Brewer, Jason Gurka, Ernesto Frieri and Tyler Jones combined to pitch eight innings of shutout baseball, allowing just three hits.Torres to SWBAccording to reports, New York Yankees top prospect Gleyber Torres is being promoted to the RailRiders and will join the top offense in the International League.Torres comes to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with .277 batting average paired with five home runs, 22 runs scored and 18 RBI in 31 games.The 20-year-old provides flexibility for Pedrique. Torres has spent time at shortstop, second base and third base this season.Theoretically, the RailRiders&#8217; lineup Tuesday in Columbus could feature Ford at first, Refsnyder at second, Tyler Wade at third and Torres at short. Wade played third base Sunday.Up nextMonday is an off day for both the RailRiders and the Red Wings.Scranton/Wilkes-Barre will travel to Columbus to start a three-game series Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. Rochester will host Durham for a three-game series starting Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.RailRiders 5, Rochester 4Rochester`AB`R`H`BIGranite cf`4`1`1`0Hague 1b`5`0`1`0Palka rf`4`1`1`0Park dh`4`1`1`2Field 3b`5`1`3`1Shuck lf`5`0`1`0Goodrum 2b`4`0`1`0Murphy c`4`0`0`0Gonzalez ss`4`0`1`0Totals`39`4`10`3RailRiders`AB`R`H`BIWade 3b`5`1`1`0Fowler lf`5`1`1`1Refsnyder 2b`3`1`0`1Ford 1b`3`0`1`0Frazier rf`3`1`0`1Williams cf`5`0`1`0Culver ss`5`0`0`1Payton dh`4`1`2`0Castillo c`4`0`1`0Totals`37`5`7`4Rochester`004`000`000`00` &#8212;`4RailRiders`210`000`010`01`&#8212;`0E: Ruth (1), Wade (8); PB: Murphy (4), Castillo (3); DP: Red Wings 0, RailRiders 3; LOB: Red Wings 5, RailRiders 7; 2B: Ford (3), Payton (8), Wade (10); HR: Park (3), Field (4), Fowler (7); PO: Gonzalez; CS: Palka (1).Rochester`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SOTurley`5.0`3`3`3`2`3Busnitz`2.0`1`0`0`0`2Chapmn`0.1`1`1`0`0`1Rncnski`1.2`0`0`0`1`2Boshers`0.2`1`0`0`0`2Tonkn (L, 0-1)`0.2`1`1`1`1`2RailRiders`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SORuth`3.0`7`4`4`1`1Brewer`2.1`0`0`0`1`2Gurka`2.0`1`0`0`0`2Frieri`2.2`1`0`0`1`1Jones (W, 2-1)`1`0`0`0`1WP: Turley.Umpires: Mike Wiseman, HP; Jeremy Riggs, 1B; Blake Carnahan, 3B.Time: 3:17; Att: 6,340.<style>
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<div class="neCaption">Scranton/Wilkes-Barre center fielder Dustin Fowler makes a catch on the fly ball hit by Rochester&#8217;s J.B.Shuck in the second inning Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_rr_wings_faa.jpg</photo0><caption0>Scranton/Wilkes-Barre center fielder Dustin Fowler makes a catch on the fly ball hit by Rochester&#8217;s J.B.Shuck in the second inning Sunday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams | for Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_rr_wings1_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Rochester&#8217;s Zach Granite is forced out at second as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders second baseman Rob Refsnyder makes the throw to first base Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_rr_wings1_faa.jpg</photo1><caption1>Rochester&#8217;s Zach Granite is forced out at second as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders second baseman Rob Refsnyder makes the throw to first base Sunday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams | for Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_rr_wings2_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Scranton/Wilkes-Barre second baseman Rob Refsnyder can&#8217;t haul in a ball hit by Rochester&#8217;s Bengie Gonzalez in the fourth inning. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_rr_wings2_faa.jpg</photo2><caption2>Scranton/Wilkes-Barre second baseman Rob Refsnyder can&#8217;t haul in a ball hit by Rochester&#8217;s Bengie Gonzalez in the fourth inning. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams | for Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>SWB shortstop bunts home Frazier in walk-off</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By DJ Eberledjeberle@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta>T.L. EXPRESSToday&#8217;s Game: The RailRiders are off Monday. It&#8217;s Scranton/Wilkes-Barre&#8217;s first off day since May 1.Riding the Rails: Sunday&#8217;s starter Eric Ruth was recalled from Double-A Trenton to replace RHP Bryan Mitchell, who was called up by the New York Yankees. RHP Gio Gallegos was optioned to SWB by the Yankees, but has yet to report.On Radio: All RailRiders games can be heard live on NEPA Sports Radio - The Game.HOW THEY SCOREDRAILRIDERS FIRST: Dustin Fowler homers to right field. Rob Refsnyder works a walk. Mike Ford hits a ground-rule double to right, Refsndyer to third. Clint Frazier hits a sacrifice fly to center field, Refsnyder scores, Ford advances to third on the throw. RAILRIDERS 2-0RAILRIDERS SECOND: Mark Payton doubles to left-center field. Wilkin Castillo flies out to right field, Payton to third. Payton scores on a wild pitch. RAILRIDERS 3-0ROCHESTER THIRD: Zack Granite singles to left field. Daniel Palka reaches first base on an infield single, Granite to second. Palka advances to second base on a throwing error by Eric Ruth, Granite scores. ByungHo Park homers to center, Palka scores. Tommy Field homers to left field. ROCHESTER 4-3RAILRIDERS EIGHTH: Tyler Wade doubles to shallow left field. Wade advances to third on a passed ball. Rob Refsnyder hits a sacrifice fly to deep center field, Wade scores. TIED 4-4RAILRIDERS 11TH: Clint Frazier works a walk. Mason Williams singles to right-center field, Frazier to third. Cito Culver reaches first base on a fielder&#8217;s choice, Frazier scores, Williams to third. RAILRIDERS 5-4</factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach DJ Eberle at 570-991-6398 or on Twitter @ByDJEberle</shirttailMeta></div>

SWB RailRiders SS Cito Culver does it in more ways than one in win