G'day! Aussie slams Ironbirds

Josh Roberts' 7 RBIs led the Scrappers to an 11-5 victory over Aberdeen.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Scrappers first baseman Josh Roberts is from Brisbane, Australia, which means that in addition to adjusting to living in America, he has to deal with a lot of jokes.
For instance, he gets asked if he loves Crocodile Dundee movies. Or if he goes to Outback Steakhouse.
"We have a kangaroo court in the clubhouse," said Roberts, referring to the clubhouse group that levies fines for minor infractions like being late or dressing poorly. "When they hear it, everyone's like, 'Oh, kangaroo court. That's for you, Josh.' "
A couple more nights like Saturday and Roberts might not have to take any more grief.
Roberts hit a grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and finished with a career-high seven RBIs as the Scrappers ended the Aberdeen Ironbirds' seven-game winning streak with an 11-5 victory at Eastwood Field.
Doubled season output
Has he ever had a night like that?
"No, I can't recall one," said Roberts, who was batting .140 with six RBIs entering the game. "I've been struggling and things haven't been dropping in for me.
"Luckily, tonight things fell for me."
Roberts added a two-run single in the sixth and a sacrifice fly in the fourth as the Scrappers stayed in first place in the Pickney Division of the New York-Penn League.
After a slow start, Mahoning Valley (11-8) has won seven of its last nine games.
"I think everyone was trying too hard at the beginning of the season," Roberts said. "We're pretty relaxed now."
Miltenberger wins
Dan Miltenberger pitched 22/3 innings, giving up two runs on two hits with two strikeouts to get the win. Josh Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple and Evandy DeLeon had a two-run triple.
The Ironbirds scored two unearned runs in the second inning. Chris Vinyard singled to open the inning. Two outs later, Zach Davis reached on an error and Todd Davison and Jedidiah Stephen followed with back-to-back RBI singles.
The Scrappers answered with two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning. With two outs, Cirilo Cumberbatch and Brent Lacy each reached on errors and DeLeon followed with his triple.
The Ironbirds made it 3-2 in the third when Vinyard homered to left. The Scrappers tied it in the fourth on a leadoff triple by Rodriguez and a sacrifice fly by Roberts.
Lead change
Mahoning Valley took a 5-3 lead in the sixth when Kelly Edmundson was hit by a pitch, Rodriguez doubled and Roberts hit a two-run single. Two more Scrappers reached base, but Ironbirds pitcher Bob McCrory was able to get out of trouble. Pedro Beato relieved McCrory in the seventh, surrendering the homer to Roberts.
Aberdeen (13-4), which has the best record in the NYPL, had won nine of its last 10 games.
The teams will play today and Monday. The Scrappers get their first day off of the season on Tuesday. Mahoning Valley is 11-2 all-time against Aberdeen.
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AberdeenSCRAPPERS
abrhbiabrhbi
Andrews cf5000Douglas dh5120
Abreu 3b5120Realini 3b3100
Winterling dh5112Denham cf2100
Vinyard 1b4221Edmundson c4210
Shafer lf3000Rodriguez ss4220
Snyder c3010Roberts 1b4127
Davis rf3100Cmbrbtch rf4100
Davison 2b4011Lacy 2b2200
Stephen ss4011De Leon lf4012
Totals36585Totals321189
Aberdeen021000020--5
Scrappers02010242x--11
E--Stephen (4), Abreu (2), Roberts (3), Snyder (2). DP--Aberdeen 1, Scrappers 1. LOB--Aberdeen 7, Scrappers 7. 2B--Rodriguez (1). 3B--De Leon (2), Rodriguez (1). HR--Vinyard (3), Roberts (1), Winterling (1). SB--Denham (2), Davis (2), Cumberbatch (1), Abreu (7). SF--Roberts.
IPHRERBBSO
Aberdeen
Tamba533113
McCrory122211
Beato1 1-336633
Stadanlick2-300031
Scrappers
Tomlin543126
Miltenberger2 2-332212
Hering1 1-310002
PB--Snyder. WP--Stadanlick 3. HBP--Edmundson (by McCrory). Umpires--Home, Arcovio; First, Hamari.
T--2:39. A--4,230.
HOW THEY SCORED
Aberdeen 2nd: Vinyard singled. Shafer flied out. Snyder flied out. Davis reached on an error, Shafer to third. Davison singled, Shafer scored, Davis to third. Stephen singled, Davison scored. Andrews grounded out. 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error.
Scrappers 2nd: Rodriguez struck out. Roberts flew out. Cumberbatch reached on an error. Lacy reached on an error, Cumberbatch to third. DeLeon tripled, Lacy and Cumberbatch scored. Douglas grounded out. 2 runs, 1 hit, 2 errors.
Aberdeen 3rd: Abreu flied out. Wintering flied out. Vinyard homered. Shafer walked. Snyder struck out. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors.
Scrappers 4th: Rodriguez tripled. Roberts flied to right, Rodriguez scored. Cumberbatch grounded out. Lacy grounded out. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors.
Scrappers 6th: Denham struck out. Edmundson hit by pitch. Rodriguez doubled, Edmundson to third. Roberts singled, Edmundson, Rodriguez scored. Cumberbatch hit into fielder's choice, Roberts out. Cumberbatch stole second, moved to third on throwing error. Lacy walked. De Leon grounded out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error.
Scrappers 7th: Douglas struck out. Realini walked. Denham walked, Realini to second. Edmundson singled, Realini to third, Denham to second. Rodriguez struck out. Roberts homered to right, Realini, Denham, Edmundson scored. Cumberbatch flied out. 4 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors.
Aberdeen 8th: Abreu singled, stole second. Wintering homered to left. Vinyard struck out. Shafer grounded out. Snyder walked. Davis flied out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors.
Scrappers 8th: Lacy walked, moved to second on a passed ball. DeLeon struck out. Douglas singled, Lacy to third. Wild pitch, Lacy scored, Douglas to second. Wild pitch, Douglas to third. Wild pitch, Douglas scored. Realini walked. Denham walked, Realini to second. Edmundson flied out. Rodriguez walked, Realini to third, Denham to second. Roberts struck out. 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors.