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Ninth-inning nerves don’t stop Scrappers
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ERASED: ValleyCats baserunner Michael Diaz is out trying to steal second base. Making the tag for the Scrappers is Cord Phelps.
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NOT THIS TIME: Scrappers first baseman Zach Booker, right, waits to make the catch as ValleyCats baserunner T.J. Steele gets back to first safely during a pickoff attempt Monday at Eastwood Field.
By CHUCK HOUSTEAU
Vindicator Correspondent
NILES — When Mahoning Valley pitcher Brad Hinkle allowed the first two Tri-City batters to reach base in the ninth inning with the Scrappers clinging to a 6-4 lead, he received a visit from pitching coach Ken Rowe.
Rowe told the 6-10 right-hander to be aggressive like he was in the eighth inning when he struck out all three ValleyCats hitters.
Hinkle followed that advice and coaxed three straight outs to earn his first save of the year and help the Scrappers break a five-game losing streak with a 6-4 win at Eastwood Field.
“It felt pretty good to get this one especially at home,” Hinkle said. “Lately, we haven’t played real well at home so it was nice to come in from the bullpen and help lock down the win.”
Hinkle has been a starter and a reliever so far this season but said that it felt good to get his first professional save.
“It was a different feeling to go from starting to earning a save,” Hinkle said “But I’m just trying to help the team. Those two-run leads are a little easier to get so you just try to throw strikes.”
The bullpen did an outstanding job after starter Eric Berger allowed three runs in the first three innings.
Brian Grening, Anilin Martinez and Hinkle limited the ValleyCats to one run and four hits through the last six innings to give Mahoning Valley a chance to stay in the game.
Trailing 4-1 in the fifth inning, the Scrappers rallied by scoring five runs on four hits.
The ValleyCats also committed two of their five errors in the inning to help Mahoning Valley grab the lead.
Ryan Blair led off with a single and Robby Alcombrack walked to start the inning.
Tri-City then botched a double-play grounder hit by Donnie Webb and that allowed Blair to come around and score.
After Walter Diaz grounded out, Cord Phelps laced a single to center that chased home two runs and tied the score at 4-4. Isaias Velasquez followed with a single and Jeremie Tice singled to drive home Phelps.
Velasquez scored the final run on a fielder’s choice by Tim Fedroff who joined the team on Sunday after a collegiate career at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
“It was good to see the bats come alive,” Hinkle said. “We got those five runs in the fifth and then we played good defense and the bullpen came through.”
Berger started and struck out five batters in three innings including all three Valley Cats’ hitters in the second but gave up two homeruns to allow Tri-City to jump out to a 3-1 lead.
Mahoning Valley got one run back in the second inning on two Tri-City errors and an RBI double by Alcombrack.