Scrappers win, reach .500

Nick Pesco tossed six shutout innings in a 5-1 win over Auburn.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Nick Pesco doesn't expect to be spending much more time with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
The right-handed pitcher on rehab from Class A Kinston made his fourth start with Mahoning Valley Wednesday and threw six shutout innings with seven strikeouts in a 5-1 victory over the Auburn Doubledays before 2,802 fans at Eastwood Field.
The Scrappers evened their New York-Penn League season record to 8-8 with the win, while Auburn dropped to 8-7.
Pesco, who was on a 70-pitch count, went six full innings and allowed four hits. He was never in real trouble and his teammates backed him to a 3-0 lead as he recorded his first win of the season.
"I'm not certain just what's going to happen from here," Pesco said. "I'll just go along with whatever they tell me, but I really felt good tonight before and after the game and that's a really good sign."
Short-timer
Scrappers manager Rouglas Odor also doesn't expect to have Pesco around much longer.
"When he throws like he did today, I don't see him being here much longer," Odor said. "He was throwing strikes out there and working both corners and had good velocity."
In the eighth inning, rookie Matt McBride connected for his second home run of the season to give the Scrappers some breathing room. McBride, who is expected to make his first start in the field tonight as catcher, also drove in the first Scrappers run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning.
"I think that I'm going to be catching tomorrow, but I'm not certain," McBride said.
Anticipation
He hit his homer on a pitch that he was anticipating.
"He [Gabriel Alfaro] got me on that pitch the last time up and I was looking for it again this time," McBride said.
His blast cleared both fences in deep left field with Jared Goedert aboard. Goedert had three hits and scored twice for the Scrappers.
"It was a tremendous effort tonight," Odor said. "We didn't play that bad last night in Auburn, but we didn't hit the ball. It was good to see them come back tonight behind some great pitching."
The Scrappers wasted little time as the first three hitters in the lineup -- Adam Davis, Andy Lytle and Goedert -- all singled to load the bases in the opening inning.
McBride then hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Davis with the game's first run.
In the third, with one out, Lytle and Goedert singled again and with the help of a wild pitch and two Auburn errors the Scrappers scored twice more to go in front 3-0.
Late runner
After Pesco left the game, the Doubledays scored their only run in the seventh inning off reliever Derrick Loop.
Pinch-hitter Brian Hall singled to open the inning, took second on a wild pitch by Loop and scored on two infield groundouts.
Neil Wagner pitched the final two innings, striking out the side in the eighth and fanning two of three hitters in the ninth to get his third save of the season.
Lytle had two hits for the Scrappers and improved on his .413 batting average, which is third best in the league.
Auburn, which won with four hits on Tuesday night, had five Wednesday.
The two teams will meet in the second game of the three-game series tonight at 7:05 at Eastwood Field.
DOUBLEDAYSSCRAPPERS
abrhbiabrhbi
Zeskind lf4000Davis ss4110
Kaller rf4000Lytle 2b4120
Calderone cf4010Goedert 3b4130
Hopkins dh4000McBride.dh3113
Lane 1b2010Edmundson.c3010
Hall ph-1b2110Roberts 1b4000
Campbell 2b4010Crumbrbch rf3000
Jeroloman-c3011Douglas cf3010
Sweperhiser 3b2000DeLeon lf3110
Diaz ssl2000
Totals35151Totals31593
Auburb000000110--1
Mahoning Valley10200002x--5
E--Lane, Campbell. DP--Auburn 1.2OB--Auburn 5, Mahoning Valey 4. 3B.--DeLeon. Hr--McBride
IPHRERBBSO
Doubledays
Low (L0-1)473312Alfaro222012
Scrappers
Pesko (W 1-0)640007
Loop111100
Wagner (S,3)200005
Umpires--Home, Adam Hamari; First, Matt Arcovio--1:590. A--2,802.
HOW THEY SCORED
SCRAPPERS 5, DOUBLEDAYS 1
FIRST INNING
Scrappers -- Adam Davis singled up middle; Andy Lytle singled to right, Davis to second; Jared Goedert singled to right, Davis to third, Lytle to second; Matt McBride hit sacrifice fly to center, Davis scoring; Kelly Edmundson grounded into a double play, second-to-short-to first. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB; Scrappers 1, Doubledays 0.
THIRD INNING
Scrappers -- Evandy DeLeon doubled down right field line; Davis struck out looking; Lytle infield single to second, DeLeon scored on error by second baseman; Goedert singled to left, Lytle to second; McBride reached on fielders choice, Goedert was safe at second on error by first baseman, Lytle scored on the error; Edmundson walked to load bases; Josh Roberts reached on fielders choice, Goedert out at home plate; Cirillo Cumberbatch grounded out. 2 runs, 3 hits, 2 errors, 3 LOB; Scrappers 3, Doubledays 0.
SEVENTH INNING
Doubledays -- Pinch-hitter Brian Hall singled to left; Hall to second on wild pitch; Scott Campbell grounded out, Hall to third; Brian Jeroloman grounded out, Hall scoring; Kelly Sweppenhiser was hit by pitch; Jonathan Diaz hit into a force play, Sweppenhiser out at second. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB; Scrappers 3, Doubledays 1.
EIGHTH INNING
Scrappers -- Lytle flied out; Goedert singled in hole at shortstop; McBride homered over left field fence, Goedert scoring; Edmundson struckout; Roberts flied out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB; Scrappers 5, Doubledays 1.