NEW YORK-PENN LEAGUE Scrappers dizzied in loss to Spinners

Confusion ensued in the ninth inning of a 6-3 loss to Lowell.
By BILL SULLIVAN
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- After suffering a humiliating 15-4 loss to the Lowell Spinners on Sunday, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers suffered an even tougher loss Monday night.
The Scrappers squandered a two-run lead and permitted three ninth-inning runs in a 6-3 New York-Penn League loss at Cafaro Field.
With the score tied at 3 after eight innings, the Spinners opened the ninth with two straight singles.
A ball was hit back to Scrapper relief pitcher Shane Wallace (1-2). His throw to third was late, loading the bases.
A pop-up in the infield left the bases loaded with one out, and the Scrappers huddled around Wallace.
Strategy
"The infielders met and I told them what to do," said Mahoning Valley manager Ted Kubiak. "The last thing I said was 'Go home with the ball'. And, I pointed right at Wallace."
Robert Evans, the eighth hitter in the Lowell lineup, bounced back to Wallace, who turned and threw to second base for an attempted inning-ending double play.
It failed and Lowell led 4-3.
"The ball was hit back to Wallace, who went to second with it and he was told to go home," said Kubiak. "I don't know why he did it."
After Evans stole second and an intentional walk loaded the bases again, one more walk brought home the fifth Spinner run.
The final run came in on a passed ball.
Only one hit, the single to lead off the frame, got out of the infield in the disastrous ninth inning.
Lost in the late-game implosion was a two-run double in the third inning by Ryan Mulhern that gave the Scrappers (15-12) a 2-1 lead.
Mulhern leads the league with 16 doubles and 18 extra-base hits.
"He's been swinging the bat very well lately," said Kubiak. "Today he got jammed but still hit the ball down the line for his usual double."
Short-lived lead
The Scrappers took a 3-1 lead in the fourth when Ceasar Suarez doubled home Brad Snyder.
But Lowell (16-11) nibbled away with a run in the sixth and tied it in the eighth.
Jesus Colmenter added three hits, one a double, and Ryan Garko made his first appearance as a catcher.
"Garko was real good behind the plate," Kubiak said. "He did a good job handling the pitchers. He called a good game."
Garko said, "It was nice working with these guys, getting to know the pitching staff more than anything else."
LOWELLSCRAPPERS
abrhbiabrhbi
Jordan dh3111McDonald ss2100
Ramos ss4011Threinen 3b1000
Murton lf4000Colmntr 2b/ss4130
West 1b4121Garko c3000
Arias 3b4110Mulhern dh4012
Moss rf3100Conroy lf3000
Buckley c4010Goleski rf4010
Evans cf4112Snyder cf3100
Reyes 2b3110Noviskey 1b4000
Suarez 3b/2b4011
Totals33685Totals32363
Lowell010001013--6
Scrappers002100000--3
E--Hanson. DP--Scrappers 2. LOB--Lowell 5, Scrappers 6. 2B--Buckley, Colmenter, Mulhern, Suarez. SH--Garko. SB--Jordan, Ramos, Evans, Conroy, Snyder. CS--Ramos.
IPHRERBBSO
Lowell
Alvarez110001
Vaughn222223
Lundgren421102
Basch, W 2-0210011
Scrappers
Rigdon221122
Perez421112
Hanson221002
Wallace, L 1-2123221
WP--Vaughn. PB--Garko. Umpires--Plate Pat Harrington, Bases Manny Gonzalez. T--2:32. A--3,634.
HOW THEY SCORED
SECOND INNING
LOWELL 1, MAHONING VALLEY 0
Spinners: Arias flied out. Moss walked. Buckley doubled, Moss to third. Evans singled to left, Moss scored, Buckley to third. Reyes grounded into double play, 1-6-3. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left.
THIRD INNING
MAHONING VALLEY 2, LOWELL 1
Scrappers: Suarez flied out. McDonald walked. Colmenter doubled over third base bag, McDonald to third. Garko struck out. Mulhern doubled to left, McDonald, Colmenter scored. Conroy grounded out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left.
FOURTH INNING
MAHONING VALLEY 3, LOWELL 1
Scrappers: Goleski singled. Snyder safe on a fielder's choice, Goleski out at second. Snyder stole second. Noviskey struck out. Suarez doubled to center, Snyder scored. McDonald flew out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left.
SIXTH INNING
MAHONING VALLEY 3, LOWELL 2
Spinners: Jordan singled. Ramos walked, Jordan to second. Murton struck out. Jordan stole third, Ramos stole second. West grounded out, Jordan scored, Ramos to third. Arias flew out. 1 run, 1 hit. 0 errors, 1 left.
EIGHTH INNING
MAHONING VALLEY 3, LOWELL 3
Spinners: Reyes singled. Reyes to third on an error on pitcher's attempted pick off throw. Jordan grounded out. Ramos singled, Reyes scored. Ramos out at second, caught stealing. Murton struck out. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 0 left.
NINTH INNING
LOWELL 6, MAHONING VALLEY 3
Spinners: West singled. Arias singled, West to second. Moss safe on a fielder's choice, Arias to second, West to third. Buckley popped up. Evans reached on a fielder's choice, Moss out at second, Arias safe at third, West scored. Evans stole second. Reyes intentionally walked. Jordan walked, Reyes to second, Evans to third, Arias scored. Jordan to second on a passed ball, Reyes safe at third, Evans scored. Ramos struck out. 3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left.
sullivan@vindy.com