Notebook from Eastwood Field

NOTEBOOK
From Eastwood Field
Late start: With all the rain on Friday, the Scrappers' grounds crew was very busy getting the field into playing condition for the game. The start of the contest was delayed 45 minutes as the first pitch was at 7:50 p.m.
Could have been worse: Mahoning Valley general manager Dave Smith said that he was concerned about another storm front that was nearby just about the time the game was set to begin. "It was coming our way, but it turned and we got lucky," Smith said. Smith and assistant general manager Jim Riley were out on the field with the grounds crew before the game helping to get things ready.
Area product: Bruce Tanner, son of former major league player and manager Chuck Tanner of New Castle, Pa., is the Crosscutters pitching coach. Tanner, who played in the Pirates minor leagues, had been with the Pirates on their coaching staff previously. This is his first season with the Crosscutters.
Today's starter: Left-handed pitcher William Delage will be making his professional debut tonight in game two of the series with the Crosscutters. Delage was a 14th-round draft pick out of Lamar University in Texas and was teammates with the Crosscutters' Stephen MacFarland, who was the starter and losing pitcher in Friday's home opener.
Postgame: An outstanding fireworks display, courtesy of Time Warner Cable, followed the contest and most of the 6,450 fans in attendance were still around to watch.
Josh Tomlin: The Whitehouse, Tex., native, was an 11th-round draft pick by the San Diego Padres in 2005 following a solid season at Angelina Junior College, but transferred to Texas Tech for his senior year. He was 1-3 with a 4.20 ERA at Texas Tech. At Angelina, he batted .350 with 17 doubles, four triples and a home run with 42 RBIs and was 8-for-8 in stolen bases.
-- Pete Mollica