Runners on base leave Scrappers in a heap

By Greg Gulas

COMING UP SHORT

The Jamestown Jammers won, 7-4, before 4,580 fans at Eastwood Field.

NILES — Timely hitting, or lack thereof, has been the story this season for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

The Jamestown Jammers on the other hand, couldn’t have strung their hits together in a more timely fashion as they defeated the Scrappers, 7-4 before 4,580 fans Friday at Eastwood Field.

Eight doubles, six by the Jammers helped the New York-Penn League’s best overall unit improve to 24-11 while Mahoning Valley, 15-22, fell for the fifth consecutive time and the fourth straight outing on their current six-game homestand.

“You aren’t going to win very many games when you leave runners on base, especially when they are in scoring position. We did just that tonight,” Mahoning Valley manager Travis Fryman said.

“Timely hitting has been the story of our season so far. We just weren’t able to drive the ball with runners in scoring position and it cost us. We didn’t play poorly, in fact, the 10-day stretch before our Aberdeen series was a stretch where I felt we had played our best ball.

“Jamestown on the other hand swings their bats. They showed you tonight why they have the best overall record in the league. Every hitter, one thru nine, drives the ball,” he added.

P.J. Zocchi, making his team-leading eighth start (and third home start) of the season for the Scrappers, worked five innings but didn’t figure in the decision as he gave up four runs on seven hits.

The Clemson product impressed Fryman despite the fact that he gave up all four runs in the first two innings.

“P.J. got better tonight as the game went on. He learned some things about himself and so did I. He wasn’t aggressive with the batters early in the game, but settled down and then used his fast ball to his advantage.

“I thought that he had a good outing once he settled down,” Fryman said.

It didn’t take the Jammers offense long to kick in as Ernie Banks’ single scored Kevin Mattison with the game’s first run in the top of the first inning.

Banks’ run scoring single then keyed a three-run second as Jamestown raced to the early 4-0 advantage.

Banks went 3-for-4 with a double and walk, driving in two runs while scoring two times as well.

Mahoning Valley got a run back in their half of the second when Juan Valdes single scored Jeremie Tice, cutting the Jammers lead to 4-1.

The Scrappers tied the game at 4-all in their half of the sixth on a two-run double by Valdes and run scoring single by catcher Doug Pickens, but Jamestown reclaimed the lead in their half of the seventh on a two-run double by Brandon Turner for a 6-4 advantage.

They added an insurance marker in the ninth when Joel Staples’ single scored Banks with the game’s final run.

Mahoning Valley left 11 runners on base; eight after the sixth inning of play.

They left the bases loaded of three separate occasions as well.

———

JAMESTOWNSCRAPPERS

abrhbiabrhbi

Mattison cf3101Blair rf4000

Gran 3b5110Chisenhall ss4000

Synan lf5110Simpson 1b5120

Banks 1b4232Tice 3b5220

Turner 2b5022JValdes cf4123

Staples ss3011Pickens c5011

MacDonald dh5010Webb lf3000

Taylor c4110Alcmbrck dh4010

Bass rf4120WDiaz 2b3020

Totals387126Totals374104

Jamestown130000201—7

Scrappers01003000—4

E—Tice (10). LOB—Jamestown 9, Scrappers 11. 2B—Bass 2 (6), Synan (7), Gran (10), Turner (1), Tice (7), JValdes (8). SB—Mattison (6). SF—Mattison.

IPHRERBBSO

Jamestown

Crawford5 1-374413

Loomis W, 4-01 1-320013

Gooch110011

Yecker S, 31 1-300010

Scrappers

Zocchi574425

McGuire L, 2-3222223

Grening231102

WP—Crawford 3. HBP—by Loomis (Webb). Umpires—Home, Jose Esteras; Bases, Aaron Larson. T—2:50. A—4,580.

HOW THEY SCORED

Jammers 1st—Mattison walked, Gran struck out swinging. Synan flied out to center field, Banks singled to left, Mattison scored. Turner hit an infield single, Banks to second. Staples walked to load the bases. MacDonald struck out swinging to end the inning. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.

Jammers 2nd—Taylor singled to left. Bass doubled to center, Taylor to third. Mattison sacrifice fly to center, Taylor scored, Bass to third, then came home on an error by third baseman Tice. Gran Struck out swinging. Synan doubled to center, Banks singled to center, Synan scored. Turner hits into fielder’s choice, Banks out (6-4). 3 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.

Scrappers 2nd—Tice doubled to left. Valdes singled to center, Tice scored. Pickens flied out to center. Webb poped out to short. Alcombrack hit an infield single, Valdes to second. Diaz walks to load the bases. Blair grounded out to second to end inning. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors 3 LOB.

Scrappers 6th—Chisenhall lined out to pitcher. Simpson hit an infield single. Tice singled to center, Simpson to second. Wild pitch, Simpson to third, Tice to second. Valdes doubled to left, Simpson, Tice scored. Valdes to third on wild pitch. Pickens singled to right, Valdes scored. Loomis now pitching for Jammers. Webb hit by pitch, Pickens to second. Diaz’s infield single, pickens to second, Webb to third. Blair strikes out to end the inning. 3 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.

Jammers 7th—Mattison grounded out to second. Gran doubled to right. Synan struck out. Banks walked. Turner doubled to center, Gran, Banks scored. Staples walked. MacDonald struck out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Jammers 9th—Synan struck out. Banks doubled to center. Turner out first unassisted, Banks to third. Staples singled to center, Banks scored. MacDonald struck out swinging. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.