NEW YORK-PENN Scrappers nip Expos on single by Parker

This time, Mahoning Valley's bullpen held up his heroics.
By KURT SNYDER
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
NILES -- For the second consecutive game, Scrappers shortstop Brett Parker played the role of hero.
But unlike Tuesday, his bullpen made his game-winning hit stand up.
Parker singled home leftfielder Mike Butia to give the Scrappers 5-4 lead, then right-hander Mike Harris came on to save the game.
Harris tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning Wednesday as the Scrappers (8-12) beat Vermont (9-11) 5-4 in front of 4,180 fans at Eastwood Field.
The win gives the Scrappers their third series win of the season as they took two of their only three meetings with the Expos.
Lost Tuesday night
The Scrappers held a 2-1 lead Tuesday after Parker hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, but the Expos scored three in the ninth inning to win the game.
Scrappers manager Mike Sarbaugh said he thought his team bounced back well.
"We separate each game," Sarbaugh said. "Last night is over with, and tonight's a new night. I don't think we took last night's game into tonight's game, and I think that's huge."
Sarbaugh said Parker has the right approach late in the game, which allows him to come through with the big hits.
"It's just a real good approach," Sarbaugh said. "Last night was a two-strike homerun, and tonight, he had a big knock. You build off that."
Butia sets up winner
Parker's heroics were set up by Butia. He led off the eighth inning with a basehit to left-center past the shortstop and stretched it into a double. He scored on Parker's hit.
Butia said familiarity with the outfield told him he could make second.
"Even when you hit it hard, it kind of catches up and kind of dies," Butia said. "You've got to make a decision as soon as you hit it. You've got to turn it on."
Butia also led off the sixth inning with a double and scored the tying run in that inning when Teodoro Encarnacion doubled him home with a line drive to right-center field.
Encarnacion had two hits and two RBI.
Butia said he took some responsibility for Tuesday's loss and wanted to make up for it.
"I had three strikeouts actually in my first three at-bats, so I was [champing] at the bit," Butia said.
Lubrano gets win
Left-hander Paul Lubrano, making his second appearance with the Scrappers after being drafted from Georgia in the 33rd round, pitched a scoreless eighth to pick up his first professional win.
It was Harris' second save. Left-hander Ryan Knippschild started for the Scrappers and pitched five innings while allowing just two runs.
The Expos took an early lead in the top of the second when second baseman Jose Contreras finished off a two-out rally with an RBI single to center. The run was set up by an error on Parker.
The Scrappers tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on a single to center by Encarnacion.
The Expos immediately retook the lead when first baseman Steve Mortimer homered just to the left of center to lead off the fifth inning. Mortimer had three hits to lead the Expos.
Scrappers take lead
But the Scrappers answered in their half of the fifth when centerfielder Jose Cruz and catcher Omar Casillas hit back-to-back singles.
Cruz scored when Expos third baseman Ja'Mar Clanton committed a throwing error trying to cut down Casillas at second. Casillas scored on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Argenis Reyes to give the Scrappers a 3-2 lead.
It didn't take long for the Expos to regain the lead. Against Scrappers reliever Kyle Collins in the top of the sixth, a walk, a single and a passed ball with two outs set up a bloop double by Mortimer that landed just inside the left-field line to give the Expos a 4-3 lead.
ksnyder@vindy.com
VERMONTMAHONING VALLEY
abrhbiabrhbi
Vroman cf30101Reyes 3b3010
Castro ss4000Szabo 2b 3120
Lowrance lf4010Gimenez rf4010
Conway 3b 0000Butia lf4220
Baez rf0300Matulich dh3000
Montz dh3110Finegan dh1000
Ivany c4110Encarnacion rf 3022
Mortimer 1b4233Parker ss4011
Clanton 3b/lf4010Cruz cf 4011
Contreras 2b 4021Casillas c4120
Totals334104Totals335123
Vermont010012000--4
Mahoning Valley0001210x--5
E--Vroman, Clanton, Parker.DP--Expos 2, Scrappers 1. LOB--Expos 5, Scrappers 7. 2B--Vroman, Mortimer, Butia 2, Encarnacion. HR--Mortimer. SF--Reyes. SB--Vroman. CS -- Vroman, Clanton.
IPHRERBBSO
Vermont
Henderson694312
Sandoval 231111
Mahoning Valley
Knippschild694421
Collins100002
Lubrano110010
Harris100001
Umpires--Home: Joe Harris. bases: Matt Beaver T: 2:24. A-4,180.
HOW THEY SCORED
SECOND INNING
VERMONT 1, MAHONING VALLEY 0
Expos: Mortimer singled to right. Clanton reached on shortstop's fielding error, Mortimer to second. Contreras singled to center, Mortimer scored, Clanton out at third.
FOURTH INNING
VERMONT 1, MAHONING VALLEY 1
Scrappers: Szabo singled to pitcher. Gimenez singled to center, Szabo to third. Encarnacion singled to center, Szabo scored, Gimenez to second, Gimenez to third on centerfielder's fielding error.
FIFTH INNING
MAHONING VALLEY 3, VERMONT 2
Expos: Mortimer homered to center.
Scrappers: Cruz singled to left-center. Casillas singled to left, Cruz to third, Casillas to second on the throw to third. Cruz scored and Casillas to third on third baseman's throwing error. Casillas scored on Reyes sacrifice fly to left.
SIXTH INNING
VERMONT 4, MAHONING VALLEY 3
Expos: Montz walked. Ivany singled to third, Montz to second. Mortimer doubled to left, Montz and Ivany scored.
Vermont 4, Mahoning Valley 4
Scrappers: Butia doubled to left. Encarnacion doubled to right-center, Butia scored.
EIGHTH INNING
MAHONING VALLEY 5, VERMONT 4
Scrappers: Butia doubled to left-center. Encarnacion walked intentionally. Parker singled, Butia scored, Encarnacion to third.