Scrappers beaten in nightcap, but split with Lowell

Mahoning Valley pitchers walked 10 batters in the 8-3 loss after winning 3-2.
LOWELL, Mass. -- Mahoning Valley Scrappers pitchers walked 10 batters in an 8-3 seven-inning loss to the Lowell Spinners Thursday in the second game of a doubleheader at LeLacheur Park.
The Scrappers won the opener 3-2 behind some excellent pitching.
Mahoning Valley (13-10) still trails Batavia by a half-game in the Pinckney Division of the New York-Penn League standings.
Even with all the walks in the nightcap, the Scrappers had battled to a 3-3 deadlock going into the bottom of the sixth inning.
Five-run sixth
Lowell (11-11) then exploded for five runs in the sixth to break open the contest.
The Scrappers took a 1-0 lead in the first, but fell behind 2-1 at the end of the inning. They tied the game in the third and again in the sixth.
Hart Hering suffered the defeat. Michael Eisenberg started and lasted just 31/3 innings, allowing three runs and walking six. He had walked only four in his first four starts.
Wagner closes door
In the opener, reliever Neil Wagner came on in the bottom of the seventh protecting a one-run lead and promptly struck out the side to record his fifth save of the season.
The Scrappers got three big innings out of starter J.D. Martin, who allowed just two hits, no runs and struck out two. It was his fifth appearance and he has not allowed a run in his last 14 innings.
Dan Frega picked up the victory, despite allowing the Spinners both their runs in the fifth inning.
Mahoning Valley opened the scoring in the third on an RBI single by Jared Goedert and added their second run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Dustin Realini.
The Spinners tied up the contest in the fifth by loading the bases on an error, a single and a walk and then back-to-back sacrifice flies by Bubba Bell and Reid Engel.
Took lead in sixth
In the sixth, the Scrappers opened with a double by Matt McBride, who was then caught in a rundown after Josh Rodriguez grounded to the pitcher. Kelly Edmundson singled to right moving Rodriguez to third and Josh Roberts singled home Rodriguez.
Wagner, who has now struck out 19 batters in just 10 innings of relief work, fanned three of the four batters he faced in the seventh.
McBride, Rodriguez and Roberts all had two hits for the Scrappers in the opener.
The two teams will meet in the final game of the series tonight at 7:05 p.m.
(FIRST GAME)
SCRAPPERSSPINNERS
abrhbiabrhbi
Davis, ss4100Bell rf3021
Denham cf4010Engel cf3001
Goedert 3b3011Bates 1b3000
McBride c3020Daeges lf2000
Rodriguez 2b3220Still c2010
Edmundson dh3010Exposito dh3000
Roberts rf3021Farkes 3b3110
Realini 1b2011Khoury ss3110
DeLeon lf3000Segovia 2b2000
Totals283103Totals24252
Scrappers0011010--3
Lowell0000200--0
E--Davis; DP--Spinners 1; LOB--Scrappers 5, Spinners 6; 2B--McBride (1); SF--Realini, Bell, Engel
IPHRERBBSO
Scrappers
Martin320002Frega (W, 2-4)222012
Cooper100010
Wagner (S, 5)110003
Spinners
Pena572201
Cox (L,0-1)231101
Umpires--Home, Patrick Barbour; First, John Saphire; T--2:03. A--5,000.
(SECOND GAME)
SCRAPPERSSPINNERS
abrhbiabrhbi
Davis, ss4110Chambers 2b2210
Denham cf4010Segovia ss1200
Goedert 3b3220Bates 1b1002
Rodriguez 2b2011Daeges lf2102
Edmundson c3020Expositol c4121
Douglas lf2010Moreno dh4010
Lytle phf1000Smyth rf4132
DeLeon lf0000Jimenez 3b3000
Realini 1b2011Vincent cf2110
Cumbrbtch rf3000
Lacy dh3000
Totals27392Totals23887
Scrappers1010010--3
Lowell200105x--8
E--Davis, Goedert, Denham; DP--Spinners 2, Scrappers 2; LOB--Scrappers 5, Spinners 9; 2B--Exposito (5); SF --Bates 2, Realini; SB--Rodriguez (1).
IPHRERBBSO
Scrappers
Eisenberg3.223262Miltenberger1.120020
Hering (L, 0-1)0.123310
Loop0.222111
Spinners
Zink572201
Richardson (W, 1-1)221112
WP--Eisenberg, Hering, Zink 2; PB--Exposito, Edmundson; Umpires--Home, Jon Saphire, First, Patrick Barbour; T--2:08. A--5,000.