Scrappers take long-ball route to 8-3 win

Jesus Colmenter and Eric Johnson each homered against Batavia.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- The home run ball that Jesus Colmenter hit Monday at Cafaro Field might still be rolling.
Colmenter, a 5-foot-10, 155-pound shortstop, highlighted the Mahoning Valley Scrappers' 8-3 victory over Batavia with a three-run blast that disappeared over the right-field wall, over the batting cages and into the parking lot.
"I don't know where he came up with that power," Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak said.
Proving himself
A native of Venezuela, Colmenter spent time this season at Class A Lake County, but he wasn't playing every day. The Cleveland Indians reassigned him to Mahoning Valley so he could get that chance.
"I just hope to show what I can do on the field," said Colmenter, who spent part of the 2001 season at Mahoning Valley.
In four games with the Scrappers this season, Colmenter is batting .333 with a home run, a double and six RBIs.
"I'm feeling good at the plate, and I'm swinging at good pitches," said Colmenter, who went 3-for-4 Saturday in the Scrappers' 9-3 victory over Auburn. "I'm just happy to help the team."
Of the Scrappers' seven hits Monday, five went for extra bases.
In addition to Colmenter's home run, which put Mahoning Valley up 6-1 in the third inning, Eric Johnson homered over the left-field wall. Mike Conroy also tripled, while Javier Herrera and Ryan Goleski doubled.
"I was just thinking to hit a fly ball to the outfield to get an RBI," Colmenter said of his home run. "The guy gave me a good pitch, and I put a good swing on it."
Winning pitcher
Making a comeback from elbow surgery, Ryan Prahm was strong in relief of Scrappers starter Randy Perez.
Prahm struck out five of the seven batters he faced to earn the victory, improving the Scrappers' record against Batavia to 4-0 this season.
"As a reliever, you get more opportunities to look for strikeouts," said Prahm, who has been a starter in the Indians organization.
Prahm, who made his second appearance for the Scrappers (5-2), isn't 100 percent healthy, but he feels better every time out.
"Ryan's been a good pitcher for me every time I've had him," Kubiak said. "He's a little more aggressive now than I remember seeing him. So hopefully his arm is even better than it was."
Not everything was fine with the Scrappers, especially in the fifth inning, when they committed four errors. Scott Threinen, Perez, Herrera and Colmenter each were charged with the miscues.
"This was not a pretty game," Kubiak said. "The thing is, we just talked about this stuff. Now we have some other things that we'll talk about tomorrow."
BATAVIAMAHONING VALLEY
abrhbiabrhbi
Headley cf4110Johnson cf4112
Tugwell 2b4101Luneta 2b3100
Hansen 1b4000Kouzmnoff dh3100
Foust rf4010Herrera c4110
Blalock lf4010Colmenter ss4113
Brunick dh3000Threinen 3b4110
Cortez c3000Goleski rf3110
Bramasco 3b3010Conroy lf3122
DLSantos ss4110Suarez 1b/2b3000
Noviskey 1b0000
Totals33351Totals31877
Batavia100020000--3
Mahoning Valley02400020x--8
E--Hansen, Threinen, Perez, Colmenter, Herrera, De Los Santos. DP--Mahoning Valley 1. LOB--Batavia 8, Mahoning Valley 1. HR--Colmenter, Johnson. 3B--Conroy. 2B--Headley, Blalock, Herrera, Goleski. SB--Headley, De Los Santos, Bramasco. CS--De Los Santos.
IPHRERBBSO
Batavia
De La Cruz L, 0-12 2-356521
Padilla3 1-300003
Overton222000
Mahoning Valley
Perez4 2-343022
Prahm W, 2-02 1-300015
Montano100000
Casey110011
PB--Herrera. HBP--by Perez (Brunick). Umpires--Alan Porter, home; Wade Page , bases. T--2:47. A--4,425.
HOW THEY SCORED
FIRST INNING
BATAVIA 1, MAHONING VALLEY 0
Muckdogs: Randy Perez pitching. Jack Headley doubled down the right-field line, advanced to third on a passed ball. Marc Tugwell walked, Bryan Hansen hit into a double play, Tugwell out at second, Hansen out at first, Headley scored. Justin Foust grounded out to short. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left.
SECOND INNING
MAHONING VALLEY 2, BATAVIA 1
Scrappers: Julio De La Cruz pitching. Javier Herrera doubled to left, Jesus Colmenter grounded out to short. Scott Threinen singled to right, Herrera thrown out at home. Ryan Goleski doubled down the right-field line, Threinen to third. Mike Conroy tripled to the right-center field gap, Threinen, Goleski scored. Ceasar Suarez grounded out to short. 2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 0 left.
THIRD INNING
MAHONING VALLEY 6, BATAVIA 1
Scrappers: De La Cruz pitching. Eric Johnson flied out to center. Anthony Luneta walked, Kevin Kouzmanoff walked, Herrera advanced on an error by the shortstop, Luneta scored, Kouzmanoff to second. Colmenter homered over the right-field wall, Kouzmanoff, Herrera, Colmenter scored. Threinen flied out to right. Matt Padilla pitching. Goleski flied out to center. 4 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 0 left.
FIFTH INNING
MAHONING VALLEY 6, BATAVIA 3
Muckdogs: Perez pitching. Esteban De Los Santos advanced on an error by the third baseman, stole second. Headley flied out to right. De Los Santos advanced third on an error by the pitcher. Tugwell advanced on an error by the shortstop and went to second, De Los Santos scored. Hansen grounded out to the first baseman, Tugwell to third. Foust advanced on an error by the catcher, Tugwell scored. Ryan Prahm pitching. Jake Blalock struck out. 2 runs, 0 hits, 4 errors, 1 left.
SEVENTH INNING
MAHONING VALLEY 8, BATAVIA 3
Scrappers: Brad Overton pitching. Conroy singled in the infield. Suarez lined out to short. Conroy advanced to second on an error by the shortstop. Johnson homered over the left-field wall, Conroy scored, Johnson scored. Luneta grounded out to first. Kouzmanoff lined out to second. 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 0 left.
richesson@vindy.com