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MV holds on for 7-6 win
The Scrappers almost let a 7-2 lead get away in the ninth inning.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Any way you look at it, an ugly win is always better than any type of loss.
Monday night at Medlar Field, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers scored early and often to build up a 7-2 lead heading into the ninth inning.
However, the State College Spikes didn’t go away without making a lot of noise in the bottom of the ninth as they scored four runs before the Scrappers held on for a 7-6 win.
“When you are struggling to get wins you are happy to get any win, even an ugly one,” said Scrappers manager Travis Fryman. “Although I am happy with the outcome, I am very much disappointed in how the game ended. We made some base-running miscues, but for the most part, the guys played pretty well. We had the collapse at the end of the game, but we will be better tomorrow.”
The Scrappers scored three runs in the first inning, thanks to Spikes starting pitcher Ryan Kelly, who walked Isaias Velasquez and Cord Phelps to lead off the game. Lonnie Chisenhall made Kelly pay for his wildness as he hammered a home run to deep right field.
“One thing we do is lead the New York-Penn League in walks,” said Fryman. “Our guys usually get good ABs [at-bats] and tonight we got the big hits, the doubles and home runs. That is not typically what we have done this year so that is some positives from our guys as far as offensive performance is concerned.”
Chisenhall led the way with a single, double and the long home run that netted him three runs scored and three RBIs.
“I saw the ball pretty well tonight,” said Chisenhall. “I haven’t been hitting the ball that well of late, but tonight, I got into a few of them and it felt real good. It [the home run] was one of the hardest balls I ever hit and I haven’t done that good a job with inside pitches. I got loose, hit the ball well and it felt good.”
The Spikes answered in their half of the first inning to score a run on a double by Kyle Morgan and singles from Jeremy Farrell and Butch Biela, but the Scrappers got the run back in the top of the second on a double by Michael Valadez and a Spikes error.
Mahoning Valley added another run in the top of the fifth when Chisenhall doubled to right-center and later scored on a RBI single by Brock Simpson.
“Tonight’s game is a good indication of why you have to do that,” said Fryman about adding to your lead. “You just never know what will happen. We had a 7-2 lead that ends up 7-6 and they had the tying run on second base. If you get out front, you have to keep pushing.”
The Scrappers added a pair of runs on Chisenhall’s single and a long home run to center field by Jeremie Tice.
As it turned out, the Scrappers needed the insurance tallies as the Spikes came back to provide some anxious moments in the ninth inning when they scored four runs and had the tying run on second base before Wilfredo Ramirez came on to slam the door shut on the Spikes by striking out David Rubenstein for the final out.
———
SCRAPPERSSTATE COLLEGE
abrhbiabrhbi
Velasquez 2b3110D’Arnaud ss5010
Phelps dh4100Morgan dh4210
Chisenhall ss5333Farrell 3b4111
Tice 3b5122Anderson 1b5021
Simpson 1b4011Biela rf5111
Hernandez rf4000Latimore lf4012
Blair lf4010Rubinstein cf5130
Valadez c4120Mendez c3011
Webb cf3010Rice 2b4110
Totals367116Totals406126
Scrappers311000200—7
State College100100004—6
E—Blair (3), Velasquez (9), Grening (1), Melendez (1). DP—Scrappers 1, State College 2. LOB—Scrappers 6, State College 10. 2B—Valadez (1), Chisenhall (8), Simpson (7), Morgan (4), Latimore (6). 3B—Rubinstein (1). HR—Chisenhall (2), Tice (3). SB—D’Arnaud (5).
IPHRERBBSO
Scrappers
Langwell W, 1-1572201
Hinkle210013
Grening1 2-344421
Ramirez S, 31-300001
State College
Kelly L, 0-23 1-365421
Vasquez2-300001
Ortiz452212
Williams100000
HBP—by Langwell (Mendez), by Kelly (Webb). Umpires—Home, Jose Esteras; Bases, Aaron Larson. T—2:59. A—2,686.
HOW THEY SCORED
Scrappers 1st — Isaias Velasquez walked, Cord Phelps walked and Lonnie Chisenhall hit a three-run home run to right field. Jeremie Tice struck out swinging. Brock Simpson popped out to second. Ramon Hernandez flew out to left field. 3 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB
State College 1st — Chase d’Arnaud flew out to right field. Kyle Morgan doubled. Jeremy Farrell singled to right, Morgan scoring from second. Calvin Anderson struck out swinging. Butch Biela singled off the third baseman’s glove, Farrell to second. Quincy Latimore flew out to left. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB
Scrappers 2nd — Ryan Blair flew out to right. Michael Valadez doubled off the left field fence. Donnie Webb grounded out to first unassisted, Valadez to third. Velasquez reached when the Spikes catcher was unable to handle a pop fly in front of home plate, Valadez scoring. Phelps grounded out second to first. 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB
Scrappers 3rd — Chisenhall doubled to right-center and Tice followed with a single to left, Chisenhall to third. Simpson doubled to right, Chisenhall scoring and Tice moving to third. Hernandez fouled out to first baseman. Blair lined out to second base, Simpson doubled off by Spike second baseman Chad Rice. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB
State College 4th — Quincy Latimore grounded out pitcher to first. David Rubinstein tripled to left field. Miguel Mendez singled to left, Rubinstein scoring from third. Chad Rice bounced into a 4-3 double play. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB
Scrappers 7th — Phelps grounded out third to first. Chisenhall singled to right and Tice followed with a long home run over the center field fence. Simpson grounded out second to first. Hernandez struck out swinging. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB
State College 9th — Chad Rice singled to center. Chase d’Arnaud popped out to shortstop. Kyle Morgan walked and Jeremy Farrell walked to load the bases. Calvin Anderson singled to left, Rice scoring, Morgan to third and Farrell to second. Butch Biela grounded into fielder’s choice, Morgan scoring, Farrell to third, Anderson forced out shortstop to second. Qunicy Latimore doubles to left field, Farrell scoring from third and Biela scoring from first. Wilfredo Ramirez replaces Brian Grening on the mound for the Scrappers. Rubinstein struck out swinging. 4 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB