NEW YORK-PENN LEAGUE Walks send Scrappers to loss

Mahoning Valley pitchers walked 11 batters in Sunday's home defeat.
By BILL SULLIVAN
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Here's an important lesson about walks for the pitching staff of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers -- don't.
Five pitchers from the Scrappers combined to walk 11 Batavia hitters Sunday at Eastwood Field as Mahoning Valley lost to the Muckdogs 10-6.
In contrast, three Batavia pitchers walked one batter in the New York-Penn League Class A game.
"When you walk guys, you just can't expect to have success," Scrappers manager Mike Sarbaugh said. "With that many guys on, they're bound to score sooner or later."
Of the 10 runners who scored for the Muckdogs (17-19), five reached base on walks.
"If you do that you're just asking for trouble. That hurt us today," Sarbaugh said.
Ryan Knippschild started for the Scrappers (19-18), and he set the tone early.
Leadoff walks
Leadoff hitter Sean Gamble walked for the Muckdogs and, after a single and two fly outs, Ryan Frith homered for a 3-0 lead.
After the Scrappers tied the game at 3-all in the third inning, Mark Jecman came on to pitch in the sixth to replace Knippschild (four hits, two walks).
Jecman (1-1) walked the first hitter he faced (Frith again), and he later scored to give the Muckdogs a 4-3 lead they never relinquished.
Jecman issued free passes to four players in two innings, and he was replaced by Chip Southerland (one walk, one inning).
Mark Harris faced seven players in the ninth inning and walked three, including one with the bases loaded.
Paul Lubrano came on to close it, but he also walked a run.
"We've been doing a good job pitching-wise; it's just one of those days," Sarbaugh said.
In a three-game series sweep, Frith went 6-for-12 with two homers, a double and eight RBIs.
The Scrappers got good production with eight players contributing to a 14-hit attack that almost offset the disappointing pitching performance.
Tim Montgomery had four hits while Argenis Reyes, Marshall Szabo and Omar Casillas each had two singles.
"Offensively we got our hits," Sarbaugh said. "We couldn't put them together -- bunch them enough -- to put some runs on the board."
Sullivan@vindy.com
BATAVIAMAHONING VALLEY
ABRHBIABRHBI
Gamble lf4221Reyes dh5220
Hardy 2b3001Szabo 2b5220
Shimer rf6220Montgomry cf5243
Norman c4000Butia lf4011
Frith cf4344Encarnacio rf4011
Crosland dh4100Pacheco 1b3001
Dirnberger 3b4222Casillas c4020
Galloway 1b3000Clem 3b4010
Orr ss4011Finegan ss4010
Totals3610119Totals386146
Batavia300001114--10
Mahoning Valley102000003--6
E--Hardy, Kendrick, Clem. LOB--Muckdogs 11, Scrappers 8. 2B--Gamble, Shimer. HR--Frith, Montgomery. HBP--Hardy. SF--Encarnacion, Pacheco. SB--Frith, Finegan.
IPHRERBBSO
Batavia
Kendrick W, 2-26103311
Tompkins210004
Martinez133300
Mahoning Valley
Knippschild543322
Jecman L, 1-1222242
Southerland121111
Harris1-334430
Lubrano2-300010
Umpires--HP Jason Creek, 1B Shaun Francis. T--3:03. A--3,822.