Just like that, the RailRiders’ lead atop the Northeast Division was gone.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre opened its biggest series of the season by dropping both games of a seven-inning doubleheader on Tuesday, scoring just one run total in 5-1 and 3-0 losses to the Bisons at PNC Field.
The RailRiders, who entered the week with a two-game lead over Buffalo, now find themselves tied at 59-41.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre had surged ahead last week thanks to a four-game win streak over Lehigh Valley. But the RailRiders have now dropped four straight to pull the Bisons right back into the fight with the teams scheduled to play six more times over the next five days.
Tuesday night was not an encouraging side for the home team.
The RailRiders managed just six hits in the 14 innings across both games — three in each. The lone run came courtesy of a Jonathan Davis solo shot in the bottom of the second in the opener.
In both games, Buffalo took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first and never looked back.
Even still, the RailRiders had a chance to rally in the bottom of the seventh of the nightcap, loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh to bring the winning run to the plate with two outs.
A Matt Pita single was sandwiched around walks by Rob Brantly and Brandon Wagner to give the RailRiders some life.
But after a mound visit, Buffalo reliever Hobie Harris settled in and retired Max Burt on three pitches, flying out to center to end the night.
That made it 12 straight scoreless innings for the RailRiders, who opened the day in a 2-0 hole in the opener thanks to a two-run homer by Richard Urena off of rehabbing Yankees pitcher Mike King.
King would only stay in for one more batter, giving up a double to Cullen Large before exiting the game having recorded just two outs.
Buffalo’s Nash Knight homered in the second before Davis answered in the home half to make it 3-1. Large hit an RBI triple and Christian Colon brought home another run with a single in the seventh for a 5-1 lead.
In the second game, Otto Lopez singled homed Forrest Wall and Cullen Large added an RBI double in the first against Brian Keller. Reggie Pruitt hit a solo shot in the fifth to round out the scoring.
Overshadowed was the return of Yankees infielder Gleyber Torres to Moosic on a rehab assignment. Torres only played in the opener, playing at short and batting leadoff while going 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
The series continues at 7:05 p.m. today at PNC Field.