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Triumphant RailRiders Return

MOOSIC – After winning the Triple-A Championship Tuesday in Memphis, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders returned home to Lackawanna County Wednesday afternoon...
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MOOSIC – After winning the Triple-A Championship Tuesday in Memphis, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders returned home to Lackawanna County Wednesday afternoon.

The team's executives say this season was one of the organization's strongest and they expect attendance to only get better.

Fresh off a flight from Memphis, Tennessee, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders first stopped in Taylor on their way home to PNC Field.

"They deserve it," said Justin Boyko. "They are really a bunch of great guys and they played their hearts out."

Some fans came out to watch as the players hopped on fire trucks and began the five-mile trek with the Triple-A baseball championship trophy in hand.

"We're proud of them," said Rich Dombrowski of Old forge. "We just hope that they do the same next year, and they make a name for the area around."

The RailRiders defeated the El Paso Chihuahuas for the title Tuesday night in Memphis making it the most successful season since Triple-A baseball moved to Lackawanna County in 1989.

The Railriders won the International League Championship last week.

Though RailRiders attendance numbers still linger towards the bottom for the International League, overall attendance has almost doubled since the year before the team's rebranding in 2013.

Team officials have plans to boost interest in the off-season including taking the championship trophy on a tour of northeastern Pennsylvania.

"We actually lead the International League in attendance increase, so I mean, I think the team playing well is a good gel, and, you know, we hope we're going to get some of the same prospects next year to see if we can do this again," said RailRiders COO Josh Olerud.

The RailRiders say they have extra incentive to have another successful season next year because the 2017 Triple-A championship game is scheduled to be played at PNC Field.

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It's home 🏆⚾✊

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