Scrappers fall in opener

The Jammers broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
JAMESTOWN, N.Y. -- Mahoning Valley Scrappers manager Rouglas Odor was a 20-year-old prospect for the Cleveland Indians when he played his first professional game in 1989.
It was an intra-squad game (OK, so technically it wasn't a real professional game) and in his first at-bat, he lined a single up the middle.
"I'll never forget that," Odor said. "The night before the game, I was really nervous.
"It's always nice to get that first one out of the way. You find out what pro baseball is all about."
Third baseman Jared Goedert knows just what he means.
Goedert, a rookie out of Kansas State, got his first professional hit -- a double off the left-field wall -- in the fifth inning, then scored his first professional run one out later. But that was all the Scrappers could muster as they fell 2-1 to the Jamestown Jammers in Tuesday's season opener at Russell J. Diethrick Stadium.
Nerves
"I was a little bit nervous before the game," said Goedert, a ninth-round draft pick (281st overall) by the Indians. "I really didn't know what to expect.
"It's the next level, but it's still baseball. You've still got to come across the plate."
Goedert hasn't played a real game in a few weeks and just arrived in the Mahoning Valley on Friday. He said he's adjusted to his new home -- "I have a real nice host family," he said -- but he's still shaking off some rust.
"It's nice to get back in the groove," he said. "I haven't played in a couple weeks and it's nice to see some live pitches."
Goedert, who was drafted as a second baseman, hit .337 with 12 homers, 12 doubles and 46 RBIs in 53 games as a junior for the Wildcats. He was originally drafted by the Indians coming out of high school in the 36th round, but opted to go to Cloud County Community College for a year before transferring to K-State.
"It's a different experience," he said of the pro level. "The hardest thing mainly is not knowing what to expect. You've got to meet a whole new team and adjust to new surroundings.
"I think in a couple more days, it'll be pretty routine."
Transition challenge
That's Odor's main focus -- to make the transition as seamless as possible and help his players advance to the next level of the minors.
"I just let them play and go from there," he said. "If they make a mistake, I try to correct it."
Odor, who is in his second year as the Scrappers' manager, led Mahoning Valley to a 33-43 record last season. They finished with just five hits Tuesday and batted 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position. But Odor liked what he saw, especially with his pitching and defense.
"I'm very pleased with the way they played," he said. "We couldn't get many base hits with runners in scoring position, but we're gonna be fine. We had some great plays on defense and the pitchers threw the ball well."
Right-hander Nick Pesco, who is on a rehab stint from Class A Kinston, threw three no-hit innings to start the game and the Scrappers gave up just six hits for the game.
The Jammers scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth after John Raynor hit a shot down the third-base line. Goedert made a diving stop, but his throw to first flew over Josh Roberts' head, allowing Raynor to advance to second.
"I wish I wouldn't have made that error," Goedert said. "I had more time than I thought."
Key hit
Nate Messner followed with an infield single (Raynor stayed at second) and David Mense bunted for a single to load the bases. Jacob Blackwood hit a sacrifice fly to deep left-center and Evandy DeLeon's throw was about a half-second late, allowing Raynor to score.
Not surprisingly, Odor shrugged off the loss.
"From what I saw tonight," Odor said, "we're going to have a great ball club."
Jamestown scored first, loading the bases with one out in the fourth against right-hander Luis Valdez, who is on a rehab assignment from Class A Lake County. Mense hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Scott Cousins.
Mahoning Valley tied it in the fifth on Goedert's double and DeLeon's RBI double one out later.
Jamestown, which went 31-44 last year, started the Florida Marlins' first round pick, Brett Sinkbeil, a right-hander out of Missouri State. Sinkbeil (the 19th overall selection) threw two scoreless innings, striking out two and giving up one hit.
scalzo@vindy.com
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SCRAPPERSJAMESTOWN
abrhbiabrhbi
DeLeon lf4021Cousins cf4110
Lytle ss4000Saylor 2b4000
Denham cf4010Raynor rf3110
McBride dh4000Messner 1b3010
Cmbrbtch rf3000Mense lf3011
Roberts 1b4010Blackwood 3b3011
Edmndsn c3000Hatcher c3000
Goedert 3b4110Martinez ss3010
Lacy 2b4000Rogers dh2000
Totals34151Totals28262
Scrappers000010000--1
Jamestown000100001--1
One out when winning run scored.
E--Martinez 2 (2), Goedert (1). DP--Scrappers 1. LOB--Scrappers 8, Jamestown 6. 2B--Goedert (1), DeLeon (1), Martinez (1). SB--Denham (1), Cousins (1). S--Rogers. SF--Mense.
IPHRERBBSO
Scrappers
Pesco300003
Valdez311112
Cooper1 2-320001
Schutt L, 0-12-331101
Jamestown
Sinkbeil210003
Castor331101
Sosa110020
Camilo W, 1-0300005
WP--Pesco. Balk--Sosa. HBP--Messner (by Pesco). PB--Hatcher. Umpires--HP, Hatch; 1B--Cooksey. T--2:29. A--0,000.
HOW THEY SCORED
Jamestown 4th: Cousins singled to second base. With Saylor batting, Cousins stole second. Saylor grounded out, Cousins to third. Raynor walked. Messner hit by pitch, Raynor to second. Mense flew out to center, Cousins scored. Blackwood grounded into a force out. 1 run, 0 hits, 0 errors.
Scrappers 5th: Edmundson flied out. Goedert doubled to left. Lacy grounded out to short, Goedert to third. DeLeon doubled to left, Goedert scored. Lytle flied out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors.
Jamestown 9th: Raynor singled to third and advanced to second on Goedert's throwing error. Messner singled to short, Raynor to third.Mense singled on a bunt to third, Messner to second. Blackwood flew out to left, Raynor scored. 1 run, 3 hits, 1 error.