Yanquiel Fernández of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders loved fairly every week in Allentown, Pa.
During the group’s six-game series towards the rival Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the outfielder had no less than one hit in every sport and batted .379 (11 for 29). Four of his hits have been dwelling runs. He had 12 RBIs, 5 runs and one stolen base.
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Those numbers earned Fernández the International League Player of the Week award for the interval of May 18-24. It is the second consecutive week that Minor League Baseball has honored a member of the RailRiders. Teammate Brendan Beck was chosen IL Pitcher of the Week for May 11-17.
In the series opener, Fernández had three hits, together with two dwelling runs, and 6 RBIs because the RailRiders romped to a 15-4 victory. In the third sport, he had one other three-hit sport with a solo dwelling run in an 8-7 win. He had an RBI single within the high of the third inning to open the scoring within the fourth sport, then hit a solo dwelling run within the high of the seventh to tie the sport, 5-5. Unfortunately, the RailRiders misplaced in 10 innings, 6-5.
Finally, within the finale, his two-out, two-run double within the high of the ninth gave the RailRiders a 5-4 win, gaining them a series cut up.
For the season, Fernández is batting .270 (47 for 174) with six doubles, one triple, 13 dwelling runs and 37 RBIs in 43 video games. He is tied for third within the league in dwelling runs and ranks fourth in RBIs.
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The 23-year-old outfielder was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees from the Colorado Rockies in February. He made his main league debut with the Rockies on July 2 and in 52 video games batted .225 (31 for 138) with 5 doubles, 4 dwelling runs, 13 runs and 11 RBIs. His first major-league hit got here in his second sport July 4th towards the Chicago White Sox — a third-inning single towards Adrian Houser. His first major-league dwelling run got here Aug. 1 towards Yohan Ramirez of the Pittsburgh Pirates — a pinch-hit two-run blast within the backside of the eighth inning that minimize Colorado’s deficit to 16-12. The Rockies then scored 5 runs within the backside of the ninth to win, 17-16.
Fernández wouldn’t have had an opportunity to win the series finale towards Lehigh Valley if not for Kenedy Corona.
With two outs within the high of the ninth and dealing with an 0-1 depend, Corona singled to maintain hope alive for the RailRiders. George Lombard Jr. adopted with a stroll, setting issues up for Fernandez to line a 1-0 pitch into the right-field nook for a double to attain Corona and Lombard with the tying and profitable runs, respectively.
Corona was an element all through the sport. He singled within the high of the third inning to place two runners on. After a wild pitch superior the runners one base, Lombard adopted with a single to attain them and minimize Lehigh Valley’s result in 3-2.
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That nonetheless was the rating within the high of the fifth when the RailRiders once more had two runners on base. This time, Corona laid down a sacrifice bunt to maneuver them up. Lombard then hit a sacrifice fly to tie the sport at 3.
Liover Peguero of the IronPigs singled to left area with one out within the backside of the sixth. But when he tried to stretch it right into a double, Corona confirmed off his protection and threw him out at second.
Promoted from Double-A Somerset to the Triple-A RailRiders on May 4, the 26-year-old from Venezuela is batting simply .200 (7 for 35) in 13 video games. But a few of these hits have are available in key moments.
Besides the 2 hits towards Lehigh Valley, his RBI single within the high of the ninth on the Worcester Red Sox on May 7 capped a three-run rally that tied the sport, 7-7. However, the RailRiders wound up falling in 10 innings, 10-8. Against the Syracuse Mets at PNC Field on May 13, his grand slam capped a six-run fourth inning within the RailRiders’ 7-0 triumph.
“It was a slider. I made good contact,” Corona mentioned. “I tried to hit a fly ball for one RBI, so I was happy for a grand slam. It was beautiful. I thought it was a fly ball, then I see it was a homer so I was happy.”
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Although he has been with the RailRiders for simply three weeks, Corona is having fun with his time right here.
“It’s great. They have a lot of Latin (players) here,” he mentioned. “I have good teammates, too. A good manager. Everybody on the staff is beautiful. I’m comfortable here.
“The Yankees is the Yankees. It’s incredible. Everybody here is just trying to get better every day. I’ve learned a lot.”
Originally signed as a minor-league free agent by the New York Mets in April 2019, he was traded to the Houston Astros in December 2019. He spent the following a number of seasons climbing his means via the group. He performed 121 video games final season with the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys and batted .220 (83 for 377) with 13 doubles, three triples, seven dwelling runs and 36 RBIs.
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On July 7, he was referred to as up by the Astros and made his main league debut that day towards the Cleveland Guardians, going 0 for 2 with a stroll. He appeared in two extra video games, strolling in a single plate look, earlier than being despatched again down.
“It was beautiful because my dream came true,” Corona mentioned. “I was happy. I needed to take a breath because it was crowded, a lot of people, very loud. I took a timeout and then I was OK to go. I was very proud.”
A defensive standout with good velocity, Corona is aware of he should work on his offense if he needs to return to the majors.
“I need to be more consistent in my hitting,” Corona mentioned. “I know my defense is very, very good, I have confidence in my defense. My hitting this year is better, but I need to be more consistent.”
With 4 weeks remaining within the first half, the RailRiders (26-23) are 4 video games behind first-place Rochester. But there are 5 groups between them and the Red Wings.
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This week, the RailRiders host the Worcester Red Sox in a six-game series.