Scrappers squeak past Crosscutters in opener

By Pete Mollica

Mahoning Valley 4, Williamsport 3

Cleveland’s top draftee, Lonnie Chisenhall, made a good impression in his professional debut, but Brock Simpson had a key hit.

NILES — Brock Simpson’s two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning scored Lonnie Chisenhall from second base to give the Mahoning Valley Scrappers their season-opening 4-3 win over the Williamsport Crosscutters before 5,507 fans at Eastwood Field.

Chisenhall, the No. 1 draft pick of the Cleveland Indians and MLB’s 29th overall selection, made his professional debut a good one as he recorded two hits and scored three of the Scrappers’ four runs.

Isaias Velasquez opened the ninth inning with an infield single. Chisenhall hit a little dribbler back to pitcher B.J. Rosenberg, who had trouble picking up the ball and Chisenhall beat the throw.

After Ryan Blair struck out, Donnie Webb hit a grounder back to Rosenberg, who got Velasquez at third. Simpson lined a single to center and Chisenhall raced home, beating the throw from Brandon Haislet for the winning run.

The win gave manager Travis Fryman his first victory of his managerial career.

Garrett Rieck, the last of four Scrappers pitchers, picked up the victory, pitching two shutout innings and allowing just two hits.

The contest was delayed for 45 minutes by a storm in the sixth inning.

Scrappers starting pitcher Peter Zocchi and Crosscutters starter Freddy Ballestas locked horns in a pitchers battle for the first three innings, before Mahoning Valley broke through in the fourth.

For the Scrappers, it was Chisenhall who got things going as he led off the fourth with his first professional hit, a single up the middle.

Blair followed with another single and Simpson drove home Chisenhall with a single to left. Blair scored on a passed ball after Ballestas had thrown a wild pitch to get him the third as the Scrappers took a 2-0 lead.

The Crosscutters wasted little time in getting back in the game as they started the fifth with back-to-back singles by Travis D’Arnaud and Brian Frew. They both scored on a one-out double by Troy Hanzawa into the right-center field gap.

Hanzawa scored on a single by Brandon Haislet, which was all for Zocchi as Mark Rodrigues came on to get out of the inning.

Mahoning Valley tied the game in the bottom of the fifth again led by Chisenhall who ripped a two-out double off the right-field wall and then scored on Blair’s second RBI single.

Then came the rain in the top of the sixth.

When play resumed, Carlos Arias came on in relief of Rodrigues and pitched shutout ball in the sixth and seventh innings, before giving way to Rieck, the second-year Scrapper, in the eighth.

Neither team threatened after the delay until the Scrappers won it in the ninth.

Chisenhall, Blair and Simpson all paced the Scrappers 11-hit attack with two apiece. Chisenhall’s double was the only extra base hit for the Scrappers.

Williamsport also finished with 11 hits, three of them by catcher Travis D’Arnaud and two each by Bryan Frew and Troy Hanzawa.

Rosenberg suffered the mound defeat.

The two teams will play the second of a three-game series tonight at 7:05 at Eastwood Field.

HOW THEY SCORED

SCRAPPERS 4, CROSSCUTTERS 3

4th Inning

SCRAPPERS — Lonnie Chisenhall singled up middle. Ryan Blair singled down left field line, Chisenhall to second. Donnie Webb struckout. Brock Simpson singled in hole at short, Chisehall scored, Blair to second. Jeremie Tice flied out to left field. With Robbie Alcombrack batting, Blair advance to third on wild pitch, Simpson to second. Blair then scored on a passed ball, Simpson to third. Alcombrack walked. Juan Valdes grounded into fielders choice, Alcombrack out at second. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

5th Inning

CROSSCUTTERS — Travis D’Arnaud singled to right. Brian Frew singled to right, D’Arnaud to second. Darin McDonald struckout. Troy Hanzawa doubled into right-center, D’Arnaud scored, Frew scored. Arlon Quiroz reached on infield single, Hanzawa to third. Brandon Haislet singled to center, Hanzawa scored, Quiroz to second. Mark Rodrigues replaces Peter Zocchi to pitch for Scrappers. Quiroz steals third. Daniel Hargrave grounds into double play, short-to-second-to-first. 3 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

SCRAPPERS — Corteze Armstrong grounded out, Isaias Velasquez flied out to right. Chisenhall doubled off the wall in right. Blair singled to left, Chisenhall scored, Blair to second on throw home. Blair to third on wild pitch. Donnie Webb grounded out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

9th Inning

SCRAPPERS — Velasquez reached on infield single. Chisenhall reached on an error by the pitcher, Velasques to second. Blair struckout. Webb grounded into a fielders choice, Velasquez out at third, Chisenhall to second. Simpson singled to centerfield, Chisenhall scored. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.