Scrappers snap skid, return to top spot

Ace closer Neil Wagner came on in the ninth for his seventh save in the 4-3 win over Hudson Valley.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Mahoning Valley Scrappers pitcher Josh Tomlin always wanted to play shortstop in professional baseball.
Scrappers manager Rouglas Odor said he didn't know that, but he's glad Tomlin is a pitcher.
The 21-year-old Texas native made his sixth start of the season Wednesday night and pitched six shutout innings, allowing just one hit with eight strikeouts to lead the Scrappers to a 4-3 victory over the Hudson Valley Renagades before 3,291 at Eastwood Field.
The Scrappers (16-13), who are in first place in the Pinckney Division of the New York-Penn League, snapped a two-game losing streak.
Tomlin (2-0) allowed only two baserunners: Ryan Royster doubled and Tomlin hit a batter. He did not issue a walk, throwing 66 pitches, 48 for strikes.
Felt the fastball
"Sometimes when you're warming up you can feel the way things are going to go," Tomlin said. "I knew in the bullpen that my changeup wasn't working today, so I threw almost all fastballs for the first three innings."
Tomlin started out in baseball as a shortstop and transferred to Texas Tech to improve on his infield work, but started pitching and never went back.
"I still miss playing shortstop, but you have to go with whatever gets you here and it's been pitching," he said.
Odor was impressed.
"He's had some good outings this year, but this was his best," Odor said. "He was in control the whole way tonight."
Tomlin left after six innings with a 4-0 lead, but the Renegades (12-18) got to reliever Chris Cooper in the seventh for three runs, including two on a home run by Royster.
Jorge Riere came on to pitch the eighth in his first appearance as a Scrapper. He gave up a leadoff double, but then pitched his way out of the inning.
Neil Wagner, the Scrappers' ace closer, came on in the ninth and retired the side in order for his seventh save.
In control
"He [Wagner] has a closer's mentality," added Odor. "You can just watch him and know he's in control. He'll challenge any hitter and he works both sides of the plate."
Mahoning Valley took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Jason Denham singled with one out and Josh Rodriguez walked. Matt McBride then singled to center scoring Denham.
The Scrappers made it 2-0 in the third with one out as McBride was hit by a pitch and scored on Jared Goedert's double into deep right-center.
In the fourth, Mahoning Valley plated two more runs as Josh Roberts, who led the team with three hits, singled to center and scored on Evandy DeLeon's double to left, which was misplayed by Royster. DeLeon took third on the throw home and then scored on Adam Davis' sacrifice fly to center.
The Scrappers were shut down after the fourth by relievers Matt Larson and Celso Rondon. They managed just two eighth-inning singles the rest of the way.
Final push
In Hudson Valley's seventh inning rally off Cooper, Josh Hamilton led off with a single and scored on a double by Matt Fields. Royster then hit a homer to deep left field and the Renagades were within a run before Riere and Wagner ended their hopes.
DeLeon also added two hits for the Scrappers, who finished with nine hits. Royster had two of the five hits for the Renagades.
The two teams will complete the three games series tonight at 7:05 at Eastwood Field.
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HUDSON VALLEYSCRAPPERS
abrhbiabrhbi
Matulla cf3000Davis 2bf3001
Callender 3B 4000Denham cf 5110
Hamilton rf3110Rodriquez ss2000
Loyola ph-rfc1000McBride 3b3121
Fields 1b4111Goedert lf3011
Royster lf4121Douglas lf3000
Spring c 4000Edmundson c4000
Durante 2b0000Roberts 1b4130
Rouseve pr-2b2000De Leon rf4121
Pavlon dh3000
de la Rosa ss3011
Totals3331353Totals31494
Hudson Valley000000300--3
Mahoning Valley10120000x--4
LOB--Hudson Valley 5, Mahoning Valley 10. 2B--Roysler, Fields, de la Rosa, Robverts, Goederr. HR--Roysler . SF--Davis
IPHRERBBSO
Hudson Valley
Reid L 0-5 322230
Larson132210
Falk200002
Rondon220013
Mahoning Valley
Tomlin W 2-0 610008
Cooper133301Riera100000
Wagner100001
HBP--McBVride by Reid, Durante by Tomlin Umpires--Home, Masake Nornaka; Bases--Tip Gibson T--2:36. A--3,610.
HOW THEY SCORED
Scrappers 1st -- Adam Davis popped out; Jason Denham singled to center; Josh Rodriguez walked, Denham to second; Matt McBride singled to center, Denham scoring, Rodriguez to second; Jared Goedert flied out; Stephen Douglas flied out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors.
Scrappers 3rd -- Josh Rodriguez flied out; Matt McBride was hit by a pitch; Jared Goedert doubled to deep left-center, McBride scoring; Stephen Douglass walked; Kelly Edmundson hit into a 4-6-3 double play, Douglas out at second. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors.
Scrappers 4th -- Josh Roberts singled to center; Evandy DeLeon doubled to left field, Roberts scoring, DeLeon to third on throw home; Adam Davis hit sacrifice fly to center, DeLeon scoring; Jason Denham grounded out; Josh Rodriguez walked; Matt McBride singled to left, Rodriguez to second; Jared Goedert flied out. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors.
Renegades 7th -- Josh Hamilton singled to center; Matt Fields doubled down right field line, Hamilton scoring; Ryan Royster homered to left field, Fields scoring; Matt Spring flied out; Brandon Rousseve flied out; Ian Paxton popped out. 3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors.