Bottom of order providing boost for RailRiders offense
The New York Yankees have a well-earned reputation as an organization that finds diamonds among piles of forgotten relief pitchers on the minor-league free-agent market.
So far this season, they may look to add another position onto that list.
During the RailRiders’ road surge through Durham last week, which continued Tuesday night with a 7-6 win in the first game of its six-game set at Jacksonville, a pair of once-highly regarded middle infielders have carried the offense. Veterans Josh VanMeter and Jeter Downs, stalwarts in the bottom half of the RailRiders order in recent weeks, entered the series against the Jumbo Shrimp among the hottest hitters in the International League.
Downs hit safely in each of the last five games of the Durham series, then went 2 for 4 with a double and a pair of runs scored in the opener at 121 Financial Field. During that stretch, he’s 9 for 22 with eight runs scored, two doubles, two homers, six RBIs and a 1.253 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.
VanMeter has been as hot, only longer. He is 12 for 36 with four doubles, two homers, 10 RBIs and a 1.068 OPS over his last 13 games. He combined with Downs to go 3 for 7 with a double and homer Tuesday against Jacksonville.
Led by VanMeter and Downs over the first seven games of the season-long 12-game road trip, the RailRiders’ sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth batters combined to go 27 for 99 (.273) with four doubles, three homers, 17 runs scored and 20 RBIs, as the RailRiders went 5-2.
Leave ‘em stranded
When reliever Duane Underwood Jr. made his season debut for the RailRiders on March 30, he proved that how one starts a season doesn’t ultimately matter.
The right-hander who spent most of the last three seasons in the Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen allowed a pair of neck-wrenching back-to-back home runs by Bisons catcher Max McDowell and outfielder Will Robertson that traveled a combined 798 feet and spoiled fellow righty Cody Poteet’s four shutout-inning start.
Since, good contact has been hard for opponents to come by against Underwood Jr.
In his eight April appearances, Underwood Jr. allowed just one run — again, on a solo home run — on seven hits in 11⅓ dazzling innings. He walked five and struck out 14.
Right-handers hit just .182 against him, and the league slugged a meek .282 in April when he was on the mound. But none of those numbers have been Underwood Jr.’s most impressive. This might be: With runners on base, International League hitters are just 2 for 17 with a paltry .387 OPS.
Off the rails
OF Everson Pereira drilled six home runs in April, easily his highest total ever in the month and the second-most he has hit in any month in his career, dating to the eight he hit in September of 2021 at Class A Hudson Valley. ... The RailRiders don’t have a pitcher with more than two saves this season (Underwood Jr. and injured right-hander Jake Cousins both have two), but their 10 team saves lead the International League. Eight RailRiders have saved at least one game. ... The RailRiders are playing their first games at Jacksonville’s 121 Financial Field this week. Their only previous series against the Jumbo Shrimp was a split of a six-game set at PNC Field in 2022.
