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High school golf season gets into swing with Monday’s Tryba Tournament

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Knights of Columbus honors Knight of the Year

<p>MOOSIC &#8212; There was a point in early July when Brady Lail was flip-flopping between starts and relief appearances for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. And, as a reliever, something clicked.</p><p>In a pair of three-inning relief appearances Lail totaled a 1.50 ERA. However, in four starts he had an 0-2 record and an alarming 9.33 ERA. He even pitched a shutout inning in his Aug. 3 relief appearance, just six days after giving up seven runs in 4.1 innings as a starter.</p><p>By that point, Lail had discovered something in his relief appearances that hadn&#8217;t yet translated to his work as a starter. He was pitching with an aggressiveness that he needed to develop when he was making his starts.</p><p>&#8220;When I first came up here, I think we were trying to work too much,&#8221; Lail said. &#8220;Right now (RailRiders pitching coach Tommy Phelps) is kind of letting me do my own thing, and I think I found a few things coming in the bullpen. I think it really helped me define myself as a pitcher &#8212; that I do have a little bit more (velocity) right now. So kind of my mindset is being in your lanes and throw everything hard, and that&#8217;s kind of helping out to be able to get quick outs, be able to execute my off-speed pitches and go from there.&#8221;</p><p>Since the calendar has turned, Lail has developed that bulldog mentality he was using as reliever every time he makes a start now.</p><p>He&#8217;s 1-0 in three starts with a 2.65 ERA. Lail has only given up four runs in 17.1 innings, and three of them came as solo home runs Thursday night.</p><p>&#8220;I was honored to be a part of (the Yankees&#8217; annual) Captains Camp a couple years ago and I talked to CC Sabathia, that (he) was a big football player growing up,&#8221; Lail said. &#8220;He said he always has that bulldog, that kind of Friday night grind and that&#8217;s what I&#8217;ve kind of been doing. I just have to go out there and I can&#8217;t be too calm. I have to be able to attack and get going. I think going to the pen really helped me realize that I have to have that mentality.&#8221;</p><p>If he can carry that bulldog mentality down the stretch, Lail could be a nice weapon for the RailRiders in the playoffs.</p><p><strong>Bird brings pop</strong></p><p>Yankees first baseman Greg Bird is finally starting to look like the player the big-league club fell in love with two years ago.</p><p>After homering twice Friday night, including a fifth-inning bomb over the hill in right field, Bird displayed some pop that the Yankees had been looking for from him while rehabbing with the RailRiders.</p><p>&#8220;He&#8217;s such a professional on the field and off the field, so I&#8217;m very happy for him,&#8221; RailRiders manager Al Pedrique said after Friday&#8217;s game. &#8220;That&#8217;s the guy I saw when I had him in Double-A. &#8230; Now he&#8217;s going to start doing things he&#8217;s capable of doing.&#8221;</p><p>Bird said again Friday night that he&#8217;s happy with his progression during his rehab.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m excited. I really am,&#8221; Bird said. &#8220;I&#8217;m getting my work in and I&#8217;m feeling really good. I&#8217;m right where I need to be.</p><p>&#8220;I always think of myself as a base-hit hitter, I guess. I just have a plan, I stick to it. And if I do that, good things are going to happen.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Coshow makes debut</strong></p><p>RailRiders reliever Cale Coshow made his Triple-A debut Friday night.</p><p>Entering the game in a high-pressure situation, in the middle of an 8-1 run in two innings by the Durham Bulls, Coshow allowed just one run on four hits and a walk in 2.1 innings. The former Double-A Trenton closer struck out a pair.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders pitching coach Tommy Phelps, center, has taken a relaxed approach with starter Brady Lail, right, lately, and it has worked as the right-hander has had an impressive month of August.   Bill Tarutis file photo | For Times Leader</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/web1_TTL072417RailRiders_5.jpg</photo0><caption0>Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders pitching coach Tommy Phelps, center, has taken a relaxed approach with starter Brady Lail, right, lately, and it has worked as the right-hander has had an impressive month of August.   Bill Tarutis file photo | For Times Leader</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>

RailRiders Weekend Notebook: Reliever Brady Lail has found his inner bulldog