CAFARO FIELD Scrappers make a 'noise'



After the fireworks started, the Scrappers made their own in a rally.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Maybe the fireworks beyond the left-field wall were a sign, a foreshadowing of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers' explosive, sixth-inning offense.
Soon after several loud popping sounds were heard and smoke began hovering above the outfield in the inning, the Scrappers began their assault on the Lowell Spinners.
Josh Noviskey and Anthony Lunetta homered, and Brad Snyder tripled in the five-run, five-hit inning, as the Scrappers rallied past Lowell 8-6 Saturday at Cafaro Field.
Highlighting the sixth inning was Noviskey's two-run home run, which sailed well over the left-field wall.
"My confidence was down batting from the right side," said Noviskey, a switch-hitting catcher who says he's better from the left. "It felt good to finally hit a ball well."
Celebration
After Noviskey gave the Scrappers their first lead of the game, at 7-5, confetti rained down from the stands and music blasted through the speakers.
"I thought I hit it" hard, Noviskey said. "Jimmy [first-base coach Jim Rickon] was telling me to run. I was thinking, 'Dang, that thing's not going out?' "
The Scrappers' rally from a 5-2 deficit was made possible after Lowell third baseman Claudio Arias dropped a high pop-up with one out in the sixth.
After Arias executed the exact same catch in Mahoning Valley's next at-bat, which would have ended the inning, the Scrappers let loose with four straight hits.
"That might have rattled the pitcher," Noviskey said of the error. "We took advantage of that. That error cost them about four runs."
After the error, Ryan Goleski hit an RBI single, Snyder an RBI triple and Noviskey his two-run shot.
"It's amazing whenever a ball is hit hard or far," Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak said of Noviskey's hit. "The swing is so effortless. That was just a nice swing."
On the board
Back-to-back doubles by Lunetta and Ryan Mulhern, and a sacrifice fly by Goleski, produced the Scrappers' first two runs, which came in the fourth.
Mulhern entered the game as the New York-Penn League's leader in doubles, with 12, before adding two more Saturday.
"Some guys are just double minded. They have that kind of swing," Kubiak said. "It just means the guy is swinging the bat well or hitting the ball hard."
Lunetta, who got his first professional home run earlier this week, added another Saturday. The solo shot over the left-field wall with one out in the sixth rallied the Scrappers to within 5-3, setting the stage for his teammates.
Scrappers starter Adam Brandenburg, a former standout at Kennesaw State University, used up his pitch limit in three innings. In 68 pitches, the left-hander allowed three runs on four hits before giving way to Matt Davis, Roger Lincoln, Dan Rich and Reid Casey.
Lincoln was the beneficiary of the Scrappers' rally, gaining his first professional victory. Casey recorded his fifth save.
Notes
Ryan Garko and Josh Goldfield have been added to the Scrappers' active roster. The Cleveland Indians selected Garko, a standout catcher at Stanford University, in the third round of the amateur draft. He batted .402 for the Cardinal, with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs in 69 games. With the Scrappers, Garko will take over the catching duties and is expected to be the designated hitter this afternoon.
LOWELLMAHONING VALLEY
abrhbiabrhbi
Jordan cf3321Colmenter 2b4120
Suarez ss5111Lunetta ss3221
Murton lf5131Mulhern 1b4222
West 1b5022Conroy lf4000
Arias 3b4001Goleski rf3112
Moss dh4000Snyder cf4111
Reyes 2b4010Noviskey dh4122
Evans rf3120Chauncey c4010
Vries c4000Suarez 3b3000
Totals376116Totals338118
Lowell102110100--6
Mahoning Valley00020510x--8
E--Suarez (MV), Goleski, Chauncey, Arias. DP--Mahoning Valley 1, Lowell 1. LOB--Lowell 7, Mahoning Valley 3. HR--Lunetta, Noviskey. 3B--Snyder. 2B--Colmenter, Suarez (L), West, Lunetta, Mulhern 2. SB--Jordan 2, Suarez (L), Murton. CS--Jordan. SF--Goleski. SH--Lunetta.
IPHRERBBSO
Lowell
Penny432204
Cochran L, 1-11 2-355101
Ool2 1-331103
Mahoning Valley
Brandenburg343320
Davis242102
Lincoln W, 1-0211111
Rich110003
Casey S, 5110002
Umpires--Pat Harrington, home; Manny Gonzalez, bases. T--2:45. A--NA.
HOW THEY SCORED
FIRST INNING
LOWELL 1, MAHONING VALLEY 0
Spinners: Adam Brandenburg pitching. Kevin Jordan singled to left, Ignacio Suarez reached on an error by third-baseman Ceasar Suarez, Jordan to second. Double steal advanced Jordan to third, Suarez to second. Matt Murton grounded out to first, Jordan scored, Suarez to third. Jeremy West hit into a fielder's choice, Suarez out at home. Claudio Arias flied out to second. 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 left.
THIRD INNING
LOWELL 3, MAHONING VALLEY 0
Spinners: Brandenburg pitching. Jordan walked, stole second. Suarez doubled to right, Jordan scored, Suarez to third on an error by right-fielder Ryan Goleski. Murton grounded out to short. West doubled to left, Suarez scored. Arias flied out to second. Brandon Moss lined out to short. 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 left.
FOURTH INNING
LOWELL 4, MAHONING VALLEY 2
Spinners: Matt Davis pitching. Melvin Reyes struck out. Robert Evans singled to right, advanced to second on an error by catcher Clint Chauncey. Jon de Vries struck out. Jordan singled to left, Evans scored. Jordan caught stealing. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 0 left.
Scrappers: Davey Penny pitching. Anthony Lunetta doubled to left, Ryan Mulhern doubled to left, Lunetta scored. Mike Conroy grounded out to second, Mulhern to third. Ryan Goleski flied out to center to sacrifice Mulhern home. Brad Snyder struck out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left.
FIFTH INNING
LOWELL 5, MAHONING VALLEY 2
Spinners: Davis pitching. Suarez grounded out to second. Murton singled in the infield, stole second. West singled to left, Murton to third. Arias hit into a fielder's choice, Murton scored. Moss flied out to left. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left.
SIXTH INNING
MAHONING VALLEY 7, LOWELL 5
Scrappers: Tom Cochran pitching. Jesus Colmenter struck out. Lunetta homered over the left-field wall. Mulhern reached on an error by third-baseman Claudio Arias and advanced to second. Conroy flied out to third. Goleski singled to right center, Mulhern scored. Snyder tripled down the right-field line, Goleski scored. Josh Noviskey homered over the left-field wall, Snyder scored. Clint Chauncey singled to right. Kevin Ool pitching. Ceasar Suarez struck out. 5 runs, 5 hits, 1 error, 1 left.
SEVENTH INNING
MAHONING VALLEY 8, LOWELL 6
Spinners: Roger Lincoln pitching. Jordan walked, Suarez struck out. Murton singled to right, Jordan to third. West hit into a fielder's choice, Jordan scored. Arias was called for batter's interference, West out attempting to steal. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left.
Scrappers: Kevin Ool pitching. Colmenter singled up the middle, Lunetta bunted to sacrifice Colmenter to second. Mulhern doubled down the left-field line, Colmenter scored. Conroy struck out. Goleski struck out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left.
richesson@vindy.com

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