Another costly loss: Scrappers' bullpen can't hold lead in defeat

By BILL ALBRIGHT
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- For the third night in a row, the results were the same for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
After holding leads after seven innings, the Scrapper bullpen imploded in a pair of losses to the Auburn Doubledays at Eastwood Field.
Tuesday night, the Scrappers took their game to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, and although the scenario was different, the result was another costly loss as they saw leads of 2-0 and 3-2 get away from them in a 4-3 loss to the State College Spikes.
"We just couldn't come up with the big hit when we needed it," said Scrappers manager Rouglas Odor. "But it was nice to have a chance throughout the whole game to win the ball game. Although we did a good job of keeping ourselves in the ball game, we just couldn't find the big hit we needed."
Mahoning Valley dented the scoring column first in the top of the third to take a 2-0 lead, and it could easily have been more.
Scrapper standouts
For their runs, the Scrappers combined four hits and a pair of walks, but they had two runners cut down at the plate.
Picking up hits for the Scrappers in the inning were Josh Roberts with a leadoff double, a bunt single by Jason Denham, walks issued to Jared Goedert and Matt McBride followed by a RBI single to right by Josh Rodriguez.
"I took my chances, but those things [getting thrown out at the plate] are going to happen from time to time," Odor said. "Those two kids made perfect throws to the plate. If either one of those throws is not perfect, we score at least another run, but that is the way the game goes."
The Spikes immediately answered the pair of Mahoning Valley runs to tie the game at 2-all. Key hits in the State College third were singled by Jose Salazar and Jim Rapoport followed by a two-run double to right by Southard.
With the 2-2 tie holding through the fourth and fifth innings, the Scrappers regained the lead with a single in the sixth. With one out, Josh Rodriguez tripled off the rightfield boards and scored when Dustin Realini lofted a sacrifice fly to right.
Coming back
As was the case in the third inning, the Mahoning Valley lead was short-lived as the Spikes responded with the tying run in the bottom of the sixth. Key hits for State College were singled by A. J. Van Slyke, Luke Gorsett and a RBI single to left by Jared Schweitzer.
"They [State College] did a good job of coming back to tie the game every time we got a lead," said Odor. "But again, we gave ourselves a lot of good chances to win the game, but it just didn't happen."
Again the tie held for two innings until the Spikes won the game in the ninth when they won it with a run for the 4-3 final. The big hit in the final inning was a walk-off RBI single by Nate Southard, the third time this season Southard has driven in the winning run.
Solid pitching
Despite the frustrating loss, the Scrappers did receive some solid pitching from starter Erik Stiller and reliever Jorge Riera.
Stiller worked the first 51/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits, walking none and striking out four. Riera worked 22/3 innings, allowing just one hit, walking one and striking out three.
"He [Riera] has done an unbelievable job for us all year," said Odor. "He has only had one bad outing the whole season and he has been a huge, huge help for us."
The two teams conclude the short two-game series with a single game tonight beginning at 7:05. The pitching matchup has William Delage facing Kyle Sadlowski for the Spikes.
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SCRAPPERSSTATE COLLEGE
abrhbiabrhbi
Denham cf5120Rapoport cf4110
Lytle 2b3001Solano 3b3000
Goedert 3b4000Southard lf5033
McBride c3000Van Slyke dh4110
Rodriguez ss3121Wilkerson 1b4000
Realini 1b3011Gorsett rf4010
Douglas lf3020Schweitzr 2b4021
Cmbrbtch rf4020SGonzalez c4010
Roberts dh3110Salazar ss3110
De Leon ph1000Sandoval pr0100
Totals323103Totals364104
Scrappers002001000--3
State College002001001--4
One out when winning run scored.
LOB--Scrappers 10, State College 9. 2B--Roberts (6), Cumberbatch (4), Schweitzer (5), Southard (19). 3B--Rodriguez (4). SB--Sandoval (17). S--Lytle, Solano. SF--Lytle, Realini.
IPHRERBBSO
Scrappers
Stiller5 1-383304
Riera2 2-310013
Hering L, 3-32-311120
State College
Degerman542245
Mura131100
MGonzalez1 1-310011
Schroeder2-320001
Walters W, 2-1100002
WP--MGonzalez. Umpires--Home, Jeremy Crowe; First, Matthew Pridemore; Second, Travis Hatch; Third, Jason Cooksey. T--3:01. A--2,644.
HOW THEY SCORED
Scrappers 3rd -- Roberts doubled to right field. Denham singled on a bunt to pitcher, Roberts to 3rd. Lytle out on a sacrifice fly (F-7), Roberts scored. Goedert walked, Denham to 2nd. McBride walked, Denham to 3rd, Goedert to 2nd. Rodriguez singled to right field, Denham scored, Goedert out at home (9-2), McBride to 2nd. Realini singled to left field, McBride out at home (7-2). 2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB
State College 3rd -- Salazar singled to right field, Rapoport singled to right field, Salazar to 2nd. Solano out on a sacrifice bunt (1-4), Salazar to 3rd, Rapoport to 2nd. Southard doubled to right field, Salazar and Rapoport scored. Van Slyke struck out. Wilkerson flied out (F-7). 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB
Scrappers 6th -- Pitching change: Mura replaced Degerman. McBride flied out (F-7). Rodriguez tripled to right field. Realini out on a sacrifice fly (F-9), Rodriguez scored. Douglas singled to shortstop. Cumberbatch doubled to left field, Douglas to 3rd. Roberts flied out (F-9). 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB
State College 6th -- Van Slyke singled to second base. Wilkerson flied out (F-9). Gorsett singled to left field, Van Slyke to 2nd. Pitching change: Riera replaced Stiller. Schweitzer singled to left field, Van Slyke scored, Gorsett to 2nd. Gonzalez flied out (F-9). Salazar grounded out (3-U). 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB
State College 9th -- Pitching change: Hering replaced Riera. Gonzalez grounded out (1-3). Salazar walked. Sandoval pinch-ran for Salazar. Sandoval stole second base. Rapoport intentionally walked. Solano grounded into force out (5-4), Sandoval to 3rd, Rapoport out at 2nd, Solano to 1st. Southard singled to left field, Sandoval scored. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB