The Scrappers pound out 8-4 win over Williamsport

By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- What a difference a day makes, especially when one day you don't hit the ball and the next you do.
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers, held to one run and six hits on Saturday night, doubled that hit total on Sunday and rolled to an 8-4 victory over the Williamsport Crosscutters before 2,904 fans at Eastwood Field.
The win gave the Scrappers their first series win of the season as they took two out of three games from the Crosscutters and improved to 3-3 on the season in the New York-Penn League standings.
"It makes a big difference when you swing the bats," Scrappers manager Rouglas Odor said. "Last night we didn't and today we did."
Good pitching continues
The Scrappers also continue to get outstanding pitching, first from starter Nick Pesko, who was making his second start on rehab assignment from Class A Kinston.
Pesko pitched four innings, allowed five hits and one run and wasn't overly impressed with his performance.
"It was all right, but I know I can do better," Pesko said.
The 6-6 right-hander said he has one more start scheduled with the Scrappers.
"I know I have one more start and then we'll see what happens, whether I stay here or move up," he said. "The shoulder feels pretty good right now."
Daniel Miltenberger, Dan Frega and Jason Schutt all came on in relief of Pesko. Only Frega struggled, but for just an inning.
He allowed the Crosscutters two runs in the eighth when he walked four batters, three in a row.
"He just lost his fast ball control in that inning and couldn't get it over," Odor said.
But the offense was what impressed the second-year manager the most on Sunday.
"We hit the ball well, [Andy] Lytle had three big hits, including a bunt single, while [Matt] McBride also came through big as did [Evandy] DeLeon," Odor said.
Team coming together
Lytle said that it appears the young college players are starting to fit in nicely on the team.
"Sometimes it takes a while, especially when you haven't played with wooden bats before," Lytle said. "It's a big difference from aluminum to wood and it takes time to adjust.
"I'm pleased with the way I'm hitting right now and it's always good to get these hits early on in the season," he added.
The Scrappers fell behind 1-0 in the top of the second as Pesco gave up a lead-off single to Greg Smith, who went to second on a wild pitch and to third on a throwing error by Scrappers catcher Brent Lacy and scored on an infield ground out.
Mahoning Valley tied it in the bottom of the second when Cumberbatch belted his first home run of the season, deep over the second fence in left field.
They took the lead when Jared Goedert doubled with one out in the fourth and scored on McBride's single to center and added another run in the fifth on an RBI single by Stephen Douglas.
The Crosscutters cut the lead to 3-2 in the sixth on doubles by Smith and David Munoz.
Big seventh inning
Mahoning Valley then blew open the game in the seventh with a five run rally that was highlighted by an RBI double from DeLeon, a run-scoring singles by Lytle and Goedert and a two-run home run by McBride over the left field fence.
While Lytle finished with three hits while McBride, Goedert and DeLeon all added a pair.
Tonight, the Scrappers will open a three-game homestand against the New York-Penn League's newest member, the State College Spikes. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.
CROSSCUTTERSSCRAPPERS
abrhbiabrhbi
Picart ss4011Douglas lf4011
Barksdale cf5021Lytle ss4131
Ford dh3020Realini 2b4000
Sakamoto 1b5020Goedert 3b4220
Peralta 3b5000McBride dh4124
Smith rf4320Cumbrbach rf4111
Johnson c2100Roberts 1b4000
Munoz dh3012Lacy c2210
Searage lf4000DeLeon cf3120
Totals354104Totals338127
Williamsport010001020--4
Scrappers01011050x--8
E--Lacy; DP-- Williamsport 1; LOB--Williamsport11, Scrappers 4; 2B--Smith, Goedert, DeLeon, Munoz; HR--Cumberbatch, McBride; SB--Lytle; CS--DeLeon, Lacy, Picart.
IPHRERBBSO
Williamsport
Hughes (L 0-1)463313Cabrera365501
Astacio100000
Scrappers
Pesco451021
Miltenberger (W 1-0)1.231111
Frega 212243
Schutt (S 2)1.110001
HBP--By Hughes (DeLeon), By Cabrera (Lacy); Balk--Cabrera; Umpires--Home, Jimmy Volpi; First, Jordan Baker T--2:51. A--2,904.
HOW THEY SCORED
SCRAPPERS 8, CROSSCUTTERS 4
SECOND INNING
Crosscutters -- Greg Smith single to center; A.J. Johnson flied out to right; Smith to second on wild pitch and to third on error on throw by catcher; David Munoz grounded out, Smith scoring; Ryan Searage flied out. 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 0 LOB; Crosscutters 1, Scrappers 0.
Scrappers -- Jared Goedert grounded out; Matt McBride struckout; Cirilo Cumberbatch homered to deep left; Josh Roberts grounded out. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB; Scrappers 1, Crosscutters 1.
FOURTH INNING
Scrappers -- Dustin Realini grounded out; Goedert doubled down right field line; McBride singled to center, Goedert scoring; Cumberbatch struck out; Roberts grounded out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB; Scrappers 2, Crosscutters 1.
FIFTH INNING
Scrappers -- Brent Lacy walked; Evandy DeLeon singled to right, Lacy to third; DeLeon was out trying to steal second; Stephen Douglas singled to right, Lacy scoring; Andy Lytle singled to right, Douglas to third; Realini popped out; Goedert flied out. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB; Scrappers 3, Crosscutters 1.
SIXTH INNING
Crosscutters -- Alexander Peralta grounded out; Greg Smith doubled to right; Johnson ground out, Smith to third; Munoz doubled to right, Smith scoring; Searage struckout. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB; Scrappers 3, Crosscutters 2.
SEVENTH INNING
Scrappers -- Lacy was hit by a pitch; DeLeon doubled down left field line, Lacy scoring; DeLeon to third on a balk by pitcher; Douglas popped out; Lytle singled to left, DeLeon scoring; Lytle steals second base; Realini grounds out; Goedert singled to left, Lytle scoring; McBride homers to left, Goedert scoring. Cumberbatch struckout. 5 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 0LOB; Scrappers 8, Crosscutters 2.
EIGHTH INNING
Crosscutters -- Peralta struckout; Smith walked; Johnson walked; Munoz walked to load bases; Searage flied out; Greg Picart walked, Smith scoring; Barksdale infield single, Johnson scoring; Ford grounds out; 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 3LOB; Scrappers 8, Crosscutters 4.
SATURDAY'S BOXSCORE
CROSSCUTTERS 6, SCRAPPERS 1
CROSSCUTTERSSCRAPPERS
abrhbiabrhbi
Gonzalez ss5000Davis ss3000
Barksdale cf5330Lytle 1b4020
Ford 2b5130Realini, 2b4000
Sakamoto, 1b3012Goedert 3b4010
Peralta 3b5021Douglas cf4000
Negrych dh5000Cumbrbach rf4000
Hicks lf4110DeLeon lf3000
Durham rf4000Edmundson c3120
Watts c4110Roberts dh3010
Totals406113Totals32161
Williamsport000031101--6
Scrappers000000010--1
E--DeLeon, Davis 2, Peralta 2, Sakamoto; DP--Scrappers 1, Crosscutters 3; LOB--Crosscutters 9, Scrappers 5; 2B--Ford, Edmundson, Goedert; SB--Hicks 3, Barksdale.
IPHRERBBSO
Williamsport
Felix420014Alvarez (W, 1-0)210002
Benoit (S, 1)331103
Scrappers
Delage340022
Loop (L 0-1)2.234102
Eisenberg 2.121004
Wagner121100
Umpires--Home, Jordan Baker; First, Jimmy Volpi T--2:40. A--3,513.