Scrappers lose again, 4-3

By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Everyone came to see big-leaguer Brian Tallet. Rookie Chris Niesel gave them the show.
Making his professional debut, Niesel pitched 41/3 innings of no-hit relief for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, striking out six of the 13 straight Auburn Doubledays he retired Wednesday at Eastwood Field.
Still, the Scrappers (5-8) suffered their third straight loss, 4-3, but performances such as Niesel's were worth noting.
"I had a little jitters. That first pitch I threw over the catcher's head, but after that I settled in," said Niesel, who favors his fastball and slider. "All my pitches were working for me, and that's what allowed me to have success."
First assignment
Niesel relieved Tallet, a Cleveland Indians left-hander on a rehabilitation assignment following elbow surgery, with two outs in the first inning and went to work.
"Following a big leaguer was pretty cool," Niesel said. "I got to see how he goes through his starting routine; I tried to watch him as close as possible. Maybe I can learn something from him."
A former Notre Dame standout from Plantation, Fla., Niesel signed with the Indians last week and joined the Scrappers on their eight-game road trip to Auburn (10-3), Lowell and Brooklyn.
He threw on the side with the Scrappers but didn't enter his first game until Wednesday. That marked his first live game action since Notre Dame's 2-1 NCAA regional loss to Kent State on June 4.
"You expect them to be a little nervous," Scrappers manager Mike Sarbaugh said of a rookie's pro debut. "You just hope they can overcome that, and [Niesel] did tonight. He threw well."
Niesel struck out Chip Cannon, the first batter he faced, to close the first inning and highlighted the third by striking out the side.
"It was a good first outing," said Niesel, who threw 49 pitches. "Hopefully I can build on it from this point." Asked whether Niesel will become a regular starter for the Scrappers, Sarbaugh said, "As of now, yes."
Staying alive
Niesel's poise under pressure allowed the Scrappers to battle back from a 3-0 deficit.
Teo Encarnacion and Mike Butia hit solo homers in the second and fourth innings, respectively, and Mahoning Valley tied the score in the fifth inning on a wild pitch.
But Matt Haynes, who issued four walks, two wild pitches and a balk, gave back a run in the sixth inning to suffer the loss.
Argenis Reyes continued to swing a hot bat as he singled twice and doubled for the Scrappers. Fernando Pacheco and Chris Clem each added two singles.
AUBURNMAHONING VALLEY
abrhbiabrhbi
Mathews cf3210Reyes 2b5030
Armstrong ss4110Finegan ss5000
Esposito 3b4112Montgmry cf4000
Hall 2b4000Butia lf3111
Lind lf4001Matulich c3000
Cannon dh4000Toregas ph/c1000
Mangioni rf2000Encarnacion rf4111Corrente c4000Parker dh4010Hicks 1b2000Clem 3b4120
Pacheco 1b4020
Totals31433Totals373102
Auburn300001000--4
Mahoning Valley010110000--3
E--Finegan, Hicks. DP--Auburn 1. LOB--Mahoning Valley 9, Auburn 4. HR--Encarnacion, Butia. 2B--Mathews, Esposito, Reyes. SB--Armstrong, Esposito, Parker, Mangioni.
IPHRERBBSO
Auburn
McKenzie W, 1-0583318
Dalton220011
Leonard S, 2200003
Mahoning Valley
Tallet2-323001
Niesel4 1-300006
Haynes L, 0-2411146
WP--Niesel, McKenzie, Haynes 2. Balk--Haynes. Umpires--Home, Jason Creek; Bases, Shaun Francis. T--2:34. A--3,331.
HOW THEY SCORED
FIRST INNING
AUBURN 3, MAHONING VALLEY 0
Doubledays: Brian Tallet pitching. Aaron Mathews doubled down the left-field line, Jason Armstrong singled to right, Mathews to third. Vincent Esposito reached on an error by the shortstop, Mathews scored, Armstrong to second. Brian Hall struck out, Armstrong stole third, Esposito stole second. Adam Lind grounded out to second, Armstrong scored, Esposito to third. Chris Niesel pitching. Esposito scored on a wild pitch. Chip Cannon struck out. 3 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 0 left.
SECOND INNING
AUBURN 3, MAHONING VALLEY 1
Scrappers: Casey McKenzie pitching. Mike Butia grounded out to second. Mario Matulich struck out. Teo Encarnacion homered over the left-field wall. Brett Parker singled to left, Chris Clem struck out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left.
FOURTH INNING
AUBURN 3, MAHONING VALLEY 2
Scrappers: McKenzie pitching. Butia homered over the right-field wall, Matulich flied out to center. Encarnacion struck out. Parker struck out. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left.
FIFTH INNING
AUBURN 3, MAHONING VALLEY 3
Scrappers: McKenzie pitching. Clem singled in the infield, Fernando Pacheco singled to right, Clem to second. Argenis Reyes singled in the infield to load the bases, Clem to third, Pacheco to second. Clem scored on a wild pitch, Pacheco to third, Reyes to second. Brian Finegan grounded out to third. Tim Montgomery struck out. Butia walked intentionally to load the bases. Matulich grounded out to third. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 left.
SIXTH INNING
AUBURN 4, MAHONING VALLEY 3
Doubledays: Matt Haynes pitching. Mathews walked, advanced to second on a balk. Armstrong grounded out to second. Mathews advanced to third on a wild pitch. Esposito doubled to right, Mathews scored. Hall flied out to center. Lind struck out. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left.
richesson@vindy.com