NEW YORK-PENN LEAGUE Auburn takes early lead in Pinckney Division standings

The Doubledays dropped the Scrappers, 5-2, to win the teams' opening series.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Let the race begin.
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers' three-game series with Auburn was reminiscent of the 2002 season, in which the Doubledays narrowly won the Pinckney Division.
"They're going to be a team to fight all year," Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak said. "There's no doubt about that."
Auburn gained the upper hand in the 15-game series between the teams this season, defeating the Scrappers 5-2 Sunday at Cafaro Field.
"It seems like they have 50 guys over there," Kubiak said. "It's like playing against an army."
Durbin's comeback
Auburn (5-1), with the New York-Penn League's top offense, won the deciding third game of the series by doing what Batavia couldn't last week against Chad Durbin: hit him.
Durbin, the former Kansas City Royals pitcher making a comeback from elbow surgery, allowed one hit through seven innings last week against Batavia.
The right-hander wasn't as fortunate Sunday. In five innings, Durbin surrendered three earned runs on eight hits while striking out five and walking two. Auburn doubled three times and homered once off Durbin (1-1).
"Some of the balls were getting sucked to the middle of the plate," Durbin said. "My location wasn't as sharp as it was the first day."
More important for Durbin, however, is the way he feels during and after games.
"My arm felt stronger than it did in the first game," he said. "The No. 1 priority is health, then performance. I'm happy that I'm healthy. It's still fun to play baseball."
Durbin and Kubiak are unsure what the Indians have planned for the pitcher. Numerous players are scheduled to move within the organization, Kubiak said. He just doesn't know where.
"Pitching every five days," said Durbin, when asked about his future in the organization. "I'll make another start here and maybe go somewhere else."
Struggling offense
One day after a nine-run, 12-hit performance, the Scrappers' offense struggled against Auburn pitching.
"It's hard to be consistent at this game," Kubiak said. "The pitching certainly has a lot to do with it, but there's a lot of mental stuff going on with these guys.
"It's a little different when things count," he added. "This isn't spring training anymore."
Mahoning Valley's only two runs were scored in the first and third innings by Eric Johnson, who reached base both times after being hit.
Johnson, who spent a year as a safety with the Chicago Bears, stole three bases, but he was picked off at first in the seventh when the Scrappers (4-2) had runners at the corners and no outs.
"I take the blame for that," Johnson said. "I was trying to get myself in scoring position so we could tie up the game, and I got too aggressive."
Jesus Colmenter and Ryan Goleski also were caught stealing in the second and sixth innings, respectively.
Those outs, in addition to some players' approaches at the plate, will put the coaches to work in the coming weeks.
"I told these guys that it takes two to three weeks before they start jelling and understanding things," Kubiak said. "Every game, there's something new to discuss."
AUBURNMAHONING VALLEY
abrhbiabrhbi
Hill ss3000Johnson cf3210
Roberts 3b5121Luneta 2b3001
Johnston dh2000Mulhern dh4000
Chiaravallti 1b5110Kouzmnoff 3b4021
Richmond c5021Colmenter ss3000
Porfirio cf4110Chauncey c3010
Galloway rf4231Goleski lf3010
Snavely lf3010Conroy rf4000
Cota 2b2011Suarez 1b4020
Patrick pr/dh2000
Peralta ph/2b0000
Totals355114Totals31272
Auburn021100001--5
Mahoning Valley101000000--2
E--Kouzmanoff, Galloway. DP--Mahoning Valley 2. LOB--Auburn 9, Mahoning Valley 8. SB--Johnson 3. HR--Galloway, Roberts. 2B--Porfirio, Cota, Chiaravalloti. CS--Colmenter, Goleski. SH--Cota.
IPHRERBBSO
Auburn
Sandoval322222
Vermilyea W, 2-0440018
Reed110001
Buzachero S, 2100000
Mahoning Valley
Durbin L, 1-1584325
Lincoln220022
Harris211111
WP--Sandoval, Lincoln. HBP--by Sandoval (Johnson 2), by Vermilyea (Luneta). Umpires--Tim Donald, home; Alan Porter, bases. T--2:42. A--3,640.
HOW THEY SCORED
FIRST INNING
MAHONING VALLEY 1, AUBURN 0
Scrappers: Marcos Sandoval pitching. Eric Johnson hit by pitch, stole second, went to third on wild pitch. Anthony Luneta grounded out to short, Johnson scored. Ryan Mulhern lined out to left. Kevin Kouzmanoff grounded out back to the pitcher. 1 run, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 left.
SECOND INNING
AUBURN 2, MAHONING VALLEY 1
Doubledays: Chad Durbin pitching. Paul Richmond doubled off the left-field wall, Mike Galloway singled in the infield, went to second on an error by the third baseman, Porfirio scored. Christian Snavely struck out. Carlo Cota doubled to left, Galloway scored. Aaron Hill struck out. 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 left.
THIRD INNING
AUBURN 3, MAHONING VALLEY 2
Doubledays: Durbin pitching. Ryan Roberts singled to left, Clint Johnston hit into a double play, Roberts out at second, Johnston out at first. Vito Chiaravalloti doubled, Richmond doubled, Chiaravalloti scored. Porfirio grounded out back to the pitcher. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left.
Scrappers: Sandoval pitching. Johnson hit by pitch, stole second. Luneta flied out to center. Mulhern struck out. Johnson stole third. Kouzmanoff singled to right, Johnson scored. Jesus Colmenter flied out to center. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left.
FOURTH INNING
AUBURN 4, MAHONING VALLEY 2
Doubledays: Durbin pitching. Galloway homered over the right-field wall. Snavely singled to center, Cota hit into a fielder's choice, Snavely out at second. Hill flied out to center. Roberts grounded out to third. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left.
NINTH INNING
AUBURN 5, MAHONING VALLEY 2
Doubledays: Mark Harris pitching. Roberts homered over the right-field wall. Brian Patrick lined out to the shortstop. Chiaravallti struck out. Richmond grounded out to second. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left.
LATE SATURDAY
AUBURNMAHONING VALLEY
abrhbiabrhbi
Peralta 2b5010Johnson cf4100
Roberts dh3110Luneta 2b5000
Patrick ph1000Mulhern lf5121
Knicely ph1000Kouzmnoff 3b5210
Hill ss4021Herrera c4121
Chiaravallti 1b4000Noviskey dh4220
Porfirio cf4120Goleski rf4222
Mangioni lf3110Colmenter ss4033
Siriveaw 3b4000Suarez 1b4000
Kratz c2011
Davis rf4000
Totals35382Totals399127
Auburn001100010--3
Mahoning Valley50300010x--9
E--Hill, Siriveaw 3, Davis, Herrera. LOB--Auburn 9, Mahoning Valley 7. 2B--Mangioni, Mulhern, Noviskey, Goleski, Colmenter. SB--Roberts, Johnson.
IPHRERBBSO
Auburn
Isenberg L, 0-12 1-356102
Sopko1 2-332201
Reed121002
Romero110001
Mahoning Valley
Brandenburg3 2-342212
Hernandez W, 2-02 1-310024
Davis1 2-331002
Rich1 1-300001
WP--Sopko, Hernandez. HBP--by Brandenburg (Hill). Umpires--Alan Porter, home; Tim Donald, bases. T--3:08. A--2,610.