NOTEBOOK Scrappers vs. Spikes

Among the elite: The Scrappers have seven players who have hit .300 or better during their last 10 games. Isaias Velasquez has been on a streak that has him hitting .393 in the last 10 outings, while Donnie Webb is a couple of points behind Velasquez at .391.Michael Valadez has been hitting well in his three appearances since re-joining the club from Lake County. Juan Valdes (.421) is tops on the team, but has not played for a few days since he slid into second base against Jamestown and was removed from the game.

Welcome relief: The Scrappers might have given their fans the impression that they were on their way up in the standings as they crept closer and closer to the .500 mark. However, then came three straight losses to Aberdeen and two more against Jamestown for a 1-5 log in their latest homestand at Eastwood Field. Making the trip down I-80 to Happy Valley, the Scrappers found some welcome relief as they tangled with the State College Spikes, the team with the poorest record in the New York-Penn League.

League stats: Mahoning Valley is fifth in team batting with a .256 mark. Of the four teams ahead of the Scrappers, three of them (Jamestown, Auburn and Batavia) are in the Pinckney Division, the same division the Scrappers are in. While the Scrappers find themselves in the upper half of the batting stats, they are currently in 10th spot with a team ERA of 3.88.

Individually: Brock Simpson is seventh in the league batting with a mark of .320, while none of the Scrapper pitchers are listed in the top 10. Isaias Velasquez is the only Scrapper listed in the individual stats with 45 hits good for the third spot.

Long hits: Not only did the Scrappers bash out 17 hits in their 14-2 win Tuesday night, but they also belted some of the longest home runs witnessed at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. In the sixth inning, Brock Simpson took a fastball over the right-center field fence which was estimaed at 400 feet. Two innings later, Jeremie Tice smashed a long three-run homer to dead center field that was estimated to be in the 420-430 foot range.

No concussion, but he is sore: In the bottom of the sixth of Tuesday night’s game, Robbie Alcombrack was the victim of a violent collision at home plate. After receiving the throw from the outfield in an attempt to cut down a Spikes runner, Alcombrack was belted by the Spikes’ Jeremy Farrell. Alcombrack’s glove came off with the ball still located in the pocket, but as it hit the ground, the ball became dislodged and Farrell was ruled safe. According to Scrappers manager Travis Fryman, Alcombrack did not suffer a concussion, but he did experience a lot of soreness.

Bill Albright