NEW YORK-PENN LEAGUE Scrappers have a 'professional look' in their 5-1 victory

Ryan Goleski's three-run home run sent the Scrappers past Jamstown.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Ted Kubiak gave his Mahoning Valley Scrappers a ringing endorsement before and after Sunday's game against Jamestown.
"They're no longer the college kids," Kubiak said following the Scrappers' 5-1 victory at Cafaro Field. "They've got a professional look to them."
That was also the message Kubiak sent prior to Mahoning Valley taking the field in its next-to-last home series of the New York-Penn League season.
"We had a team meeting before the game, and we talked about all the things we've accomplished this year," outfielder Ryan Goleski said. "We're playing right now the way we want to play."
Feedback
Kubiak said he called the meeting to give his players feedback after taking two of three games from Brooklyn, the first-place team in the McNamara Division.
"I'm really happy with a lot of things that have happened here," Kubiak said. "They've had to struggle through some stuff, but they've persevered and things are turning out well for them."
So well, in fact, that Mahoning Valley (33-33) returned to the .500 mark for the first time since July 17, the midway point of an 11-game losing streak that dropped them out of contention.
That tailspin eventually sunk the Scrappers to seven games below .500 before they began working their way back.
"It happens to even real good ball clubs," Goleski said of the losing streak. "You get in a little funk there and it's tough to get out of it.
"There's nothing you can do about it now."
Except maybe win, which the Scrappers have done a lot of lately. They have won five of their last six games and seven of their last 10.
"It doesn't really feel like we've had that bad of a year," Goleski said. "Everyone's come a long way during the season, and it's starting to show up now."
Goleski delivers
Especially for Goleski, a first-year player from Eastern Michigan, whose three-run home run in the fifth inning broke a 1-1 tie and put Mahoning Valley ahead to stay.
"He's probably the prime example of the improvement that's taken place here," Kubiak said. "Right now, his bat speed and the way he drives the ball is pretty impressive at this level."
With Mike Conroy and Kevin Kouzmanoff on base, Goleski grooved a first-pitch fastball deep over the left-field wall. It was his eighth home run of the season, tying Kouzmanoff for the team lead.
Goleski had trouble in his first two at-bats reading the pitches from Jamestown right-hander Timothy Wood.
"It's difficult when a guy can spot a pitch away and then come in with a fastball. It keeps you honest," Goleski said. "I was telling myself to stay back and get a pitch I could handle."
Roehl gets win
Goleski's home run made a winner out of Scrappers starter Scott Roehl (4-6), who allowed one run on four hits through five innings, with six strikeouts and no walks.
"Scott was great in Batavia last time and he continued it today. He was aggressive," Kubiak said.
Matt Davis and Dan Rich followed Roehl to the mound and, despite running into some trouble, finished off the Jammers.
JAMESTOWNSCRAPPERS
abrhbiabrhbi
Seifrig 2b3001Snyder cf3000
Arroyo lf3010Conroy lf3111
Miller cf4000Kouzmanff 3b2100
Blake c4010Goleski rf4113
Sosa 3b4000Garko c3000
Olsen 1b3010Mulhern 1b4000
Dierks dh3000Noviskey dh4110
Bastardo rf3100Colmntr 2b/ss4000
Young ss3020Lunetta ss/2b3120
Bear ph/ss1000
Totals31151Totals30554
Jamestown001000000--1
Scrappers00004100x--5
E--Young 2, Snyder, Colmenter 2. DP--Scrappers 1. LOB--Jamestown 8, Scrappers 6. HR--Goleski. 3B--Noviskey. 2B--Conroy. SF--Seifrig. SB--Snyder.
IPHRERBBSO
Jamestown
Wood L, 0-24 1-344443
Nowicki1 2-311101
McCormack100001
Pawelk100010
Scrappers
Roehl W, 4-6541106
Davis310004
Rich100021
WP--Wood, Nowicki. HBP--by Roehl (Bastardo), by Davis (Arroyo). Umpires--John Tumpane, home; Darren Budahn, bases. T--2:31. A--4,310.
HOW THEY SCORED
THIRD INNING
JAMESTOWN 1, SCRAPPERS 0
Jammers: Scott Roehl pitching. Frederick Bastardo hit by pitch, Dusty Young singled to right, Bastardo to third. Cole Seifrig flied out to left to sacrifice Bastardo home. Xavier Arroyo singled to center, error on the center-fielder advanced Young to third, Arroyo to second. Ryan Blake's single hit Arroyo, who was ruled out on interference. 1 run, 3 hits, 1 error, 2 left.
FIFTH INNING
SCRAPPERS 4, JAMESTOWN 1
Scrappers: Timothy Wood pitching. Anthony Lunetta singled in the infield, advanced to second on an error by the third baseman. Brad Snyder flied out to left, Lunetta tagged and advanced to third. Mike Conroy doubled down the right-field line, Lunetta scored. Conroy advanced to third on a wild pitch. Kevin Kouzmanoff walked, Ryan Goleski homered over the left-field wall, Conroy, Kouzmanoff scored. Nathan Nowicki pitching. Ryan Garko flied out to right. Ryan Mulhern flied out to center. 4 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 0 left.
SIXTH INNING
SCRAPPERS 5, JAMESTOWN 1
Scrappers: Nowicki pitching. Josh Noviskey tripled off the right center field wall, Jesus Colmenter grounded out to second. Lunetta flied out to the catcher. Noviskey scored on a wild pitch. Snyder struck out. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left.
richesson@vindy.com