Scrappers unleash offense to get split

Mahoning Valley had 12 hits to win the nightcap 11-4 over Tri-City.
ALBANY, N.Y. -- The Mahoning Valley Scrappers unleashed a 12-hit attack in the second game of a doubleheader Friday night and came away with a split against the Tri-City ValleyCats in New York-Penn League action.
After dropping the opener 4-3 in eight innings, the Scrappers jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the nightcap and were never threatened.
Mahoning Valley (12-12) remains a game back of Jamestown in the Pinckney Division.
DeLeon in debut
Evandy DeLeon, playing his first game as a Scrapper, led the way in the second game with two hits including a three-run home run. He also scored three runs.
Matt Fornasiere put the Scrappers up 2-0 in the first inning with his first professional home run. Mahoning Valley also added a pair of runs in the second and third innings.
After Tri-City broke the shutout in the bottom of the third on Thomas Manzella's triple, the Scrappers came back to score four times in the fourth, three of them on DeLeon's home run, to jump out to a 10-1 lead.
Jim Deters pitched the first five innings for the Scrappers to get his first victory of the season.
The ValleyCats scored two runs in the sixth off relief pitcher Nelson Hiraldo, who allowed a two-run homer by Matt Cunningham.
Matt Loberg pitched the final inning to preserve the victory.
Opener
In the opener the Scrappers once again had the early lead, but couldn't hold it.
Trevor Mortensen gave the Scrappers the lead with a three-run home run and starting pitcher Jensen Lewis held the ValleyCats scoreless through the first five innings.
In the sixth, Tri-City closed the gap as Manzella led off the inning with a walk and Patrick Sellers followed with a two-run homer over the left field wall to put the ValleyCats within a run at 3-2.
It was the first two earned runs given up by Lewis this season.
Justin Pekarek came on to pitch the seventh for the Scrappers, but gave up a single to Matt Cunningham and then allowed him to reach second base on a wild pitch.
Aaron Bulkley followed with a single to center, scoring Cunningham with the tying run.
After the Scrappers went down 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth, Tri-City opened with back-to-back singles by Sellers and Jordan Parraz. When Michael Thompson laid down a sacrifice bunt the ball was thrown away, allowing Sellers to come around with the winning run.
Mortensen had two of the three hits for the Scrappers, while Jose Constanza added the other.
The Scrappers return home tonight to meet the Lowell Spinners in the first game of a three-game set at 7:05.
Mahoning Valley will play two straight day games on Sunday (2:05 p.m.) and Monday (12:05 p.m.) against the Spinners.