Monday, June 25, 2007
Despite Mahoning Valley’s second defeat, the Scrappers still are tied for first place in their division.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES — Two Mahoning Valley Scrappers fans were walking out of Eastwood Field Sunday night talking about the game.
“Those Scrappers are a pretty good team, but I think they need a new hitting coach,” one said.
Yes, the Scrappers are having troubles at the plate so far this season, but even with a 4-3 loss to the Batavia Muckdogs, the Scrappers (4-2) still own a share of first place in the Pinckney Division of the New York-Penn League.
The Scrappers have the worst batting average in the entire league (it was .204 going into Sunday’s game), but their pitching has carried them through these early games.
Sunday, the Scrappers didn’t get a hit until the fifth inning and finished with five hits on the night, but still put up a ninth inning rally that almost pulled out the game.
“We’re struggling a bit at the plate,” said Scrappers first-year manager Tim Laker. “We’ve got a lot of young kids in their first season in professional baseball and it’s going to take them a while to adjust.
“Our pitching has been well ahead of the hitting, but hopefully we’ll catch up real soon,” Laker added.
“I was pleased with the way we came back and rallied in the ninth,” he said. “We knew we weren’t going to win them all, but if we’re in there battling at the end is all you can ask for.”
Montero runs into trouble
Mahoning Valley starter Joanniel Montero (0-1) breezed through the Batavia lineup in the first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth.
The Muckdogs scored twice in the inning with three straight hits, including a double by Tommy Pham that bounced into the right-field stands for a ground-rule double.
Batavia made it 3-0 in the fifth after a lead-off walk, coming up with back-to-back singles as Pham drove in the run with his second hit of the game.
Mahoning Valley finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth. With one out, Matt Brown had the Scrappers’ first hit of the game, and after moving to second on a groundout, he scored when Jansy Infante singled to center field.
Batavia reliever Josh Williams, who came on in the fifth inning, retired the Scrappers in order in the next two innings, but Mahoning Valley threatened in the eighth.
Scrappers’ rally foiled
They loaded the bases without getting a hit on a hit batter, a walk and a fielder’s choice that turned into an error that loaded the sacks.
But Wilson got Mark Thompson to fly out to center and then struck out Beau Mills to end the rally.
In the ninth, the Scrappers opened with Todd Martin getting a walk and moving to second on a groundout. Matt Brown then doubled to right-center scoring Martin, and then Jeff Hehr, the former Cardinal Mooney standout, singled to right with Brown taking third.
Hehr was hurt on the play running out the single and was replaced by a pinch runner, Jaun Valdez. Infante then grounded out with Brown scoring, but Josh Drew then struck out pinch-hitter Fernando Pacheco to end the game.
Scrapper reliever Kyle Collina pitched 3 1/3 innings of shutout ball and Bret Carlin pitched a scoreless ninth.
Brown had two of the Scrappers’ five hits and scored two of the three runs. His double was his third of the season.
The Scrappers will open a three-game series with the Auburn Doubledays tonight in a 7:05 start at Eastwood Field.
mollica@vindy.com
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BATAVIASCRAPPERS
abrhbiabrhbi
DeJesus rf5010White cf4000
Pham cf4121Thompson ss4000
Descalso 2b3110Mills 1b3000
Hill 1b4011Martin dh3100
Derba c 3110Petrucci lf4000
Cartie 3b 4000Brown rf4221
Roberson lf4000Hehr 2b3010
Gonzalez dh3121Valdes pr0000
Groff pr0000Infante 3b3012
Oeder ss4010Flores c3010
Pacheco ph1000
Totals34493Totals32353
Batavia000211000—4
Scrappers000010002—3
E—Wilson (1). DP—Scrappers 1. LOB—Batavia 6, Scrappers 6. 2B—Pham (1), Oeder (1), Brown (3). SB—Groft (1), Descalso (1).
IPHRERBBSO
Batavia
Todd4 2-321115
Wilson W, 1-03 1-311112
Gonzalez1-320000
Dew (S, 1)2-300001
Scrappers
Montero L, 0-14 2-373312
Collina3 1-311111
Carlin110001
PB—Flores 2. WP—Montero. HBP—By Wilson (Hehr); by Montero (Descalso). Umpires—Home, Ben Karis; Bases, Tyler Wilson. T—2:35. A—5,422.
HOW THEY SCORED
Muckdogs 4th — Pham doubled to right field. DesCalso singled to center, Pham to third. DesCalso steals 2B. Hill singled to left, Pham scores, DeCalso to third. Derba strikes out swinging. DesCalso scores on wild pitch, Hill to second. Cartie grounds out (6-3). Roberson grounds out (5-3). 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Muckdogs 5th — Gonzalez walked and took second on a passed ball. Oeder grounded out (5-3). DeJesus singled to left, Gonzalez to third. Pham singled to riight, Gonalez scores, DeJesus to third. Pham thrown out (9-6-3). DesCalso hit by pitch. (Pitching change) Kyle Colina to pitch. Hill flies out (F8). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Scrappers 5th — Petrucci struckout swinging. Brown singled up middle. Hehr gounded out (6-3), Brown to second. Infante singled to center, Brown scoring. (Pitching change) Josh Wilson in to pitch. Flores infield single, infante thrown out (3-6-5). 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Muckdogs 6th — Debra walked. Cartie grounded out (4-3), Debra to second. Robinson grounded out (4-3) Debra to third. Gonzalez infield single to second, Debra scored. Order flies out (F9). 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Scrappers 9th — Martin walked. Petrucci grounded out (5-3) Martin to second. Brown doubled to right center, Martin scoring. Hehr singles to right, Brown to third. Valdez pinch run for Hehr. Infante grounds out (3-1), Brown scoring, Valdez to second. pinch hitter Fernando Pacheco strikes out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.