NEPA SportzXtra

On this Date in NEPA Sports
September 15, 2016: The RailRiders captured the Governors' Cup for the second time in franchise history when they defeated Gwinnett 3-0 in Game 4 of the championship series. Mark Payton led the offense with three hits, including a triple, and two RBI. Four RailRider pitchers combined for the five-hit shutout. Daniel Camarena got the win in the start, while Johnny Barbato, Tyler Webb and Giovanny Gallegos got the final 11 outs without allowing a baserunner.

On this Date in NEPA Sports
September 14, 2018: Scranton native Joe McCarthy lived a boyhood dream playing for the Durham Bulls. McCarthy played a hand in all six runs in Game 5 of the Governors' Cup finals against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders at PNC Field to help Durham win its second straight league title. McCarthy, now currently in the San Francisco Giants organization, went 3 for 5 with a home run, four RBI and two runs scored

On this Date in NEPA Sports
September 13, 2016: The RailRiders evened the best-of-five Governors' Cup Championship Series versus Gwinnett at 1-1 after a 2-1 victory in the second game. The RailRiders only had one hit the game, a double by Cito Culver with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's winning run scored in the bottom of the ninth on three walks and a hit batsman.

On this Date in NEPA Sports
September 12, 2008: The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees rolled to history winning the Governors' Cup title by defeating Durham 20-2 to be the first team in the 20-year history of the franchise to claim the title. The Yankees also became the first professional sports team in the modern era of NEPA sports to win a championship title. In the win, Juan Miranda had 6 RBI, including a three-run homer, while Phil Hughes fanned 12 in five shutout innings.

On this Date in NEPA Sports
September 11, 2001: Amid one of the worst days in the history of our nation, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons and Louisville Bats both voted unanimously to not continue the International League Governors' Cup Championship Series; Louisville led the series 1-0. Meanwhile, I.L. President Randy Mobley initially insisted that the series continued before cancelling the entire series. This was the second consecutive year that the Barons played in the championship series. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre franchise didn't return to the series until 2008 when it was named the Yankees.

On this Date in NEPA Sports
September 10, 1999: The Red Barons overcame one of the biggest deficits in team history erasing a six-run deficit to defeat Charlotte 10-9 and take a 2-1 series lead in first round of the Governors' Cup Playoffs. Desi Relaford ended the victory with a walk-off single in the ninth inning. Bobby Estalella tied the score at 9-9 in the bottom of the eighth on a two-run triple.

On this Date in NEPA Sports
September 9, 2016: The RailRiders completed a three-game sweep of Lehigh Valley with an 11-3 victory in the first round of the International League Governors' Cup Playoffs. This Scranton/Wilkes-Barre team was the first to reach the league's championship series in seven years, and the sixth overall, but the first as being named the RailRiders.

On this Date in NEPA Sports
September 8, 1999: The Red Barons picked up their first playoff win in seven years when they defeated Charlotte 15-5 in Game 1 of the International League Governors' Cup semifinals. Pat Burrell led the way for the Barons with a pair of homers as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

On this Date in NEPA Sports
September 7, 2008: The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees advanced to the Governors' Cup Championship series after beating Pawtucket 2-0 in 10 innings in the Game 5 of the first round series. Shelley Duncan hit a walk-off, two-run shot in the tenth inning. The Yankees' Phil Hughes and Pawtucket's Bartolo Colon were locked in a duel with Hughes going 8 innings allowing 4 hits and fanning 11. Colon gave up 2 hits in 7 2/3 innings.

On this Date in NEPA Sports
September 6, 2016: The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders won their first-ever playoff game with that name defeating Lehigh Valley 2-0. Mason Williams hit a two-run home run for SWB, while Jordan Montgomery tossed seven innings of three-hit ball.

On this Date in NEPA Sports
September 5, 2001: The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons opened the Governors' Cup playoffs by losing at home to Buffalo 7-3. The win gave Buffalo the home-field advantage in the series. This was just the beginning of a drama-filled postseason for the Red Barons.