Batavia pitchers stop Scrappers’ batters, 2-1

By Chuck Housteau

Mahoning Valley has dropped the first two games of the series by one run.

NILES — Trailing 2-1 with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom eighth, catcher Doug Pickens was the guy Mahoning Valley Scrappers’ manager Travis Fryman wanted at the plate.

“We had the right guy up at that point,” Fryman said. “Doug Pickens has been swinging the bat great for us since he’s been here.”

Pickens worked Batavia relief pitcher, Adam Reifer, hard before grounding out to end the threat.

Reifer shut down the Scrappers with a one-two-three ninth to hold on to the victory and earn his second save of the season.

“Two-out hitting at this level is tough,” Fryman said about Pickens’ at-bat. “This is probably the first night Doug hasn’t had a couple of hits but that’s how it plays out.”

Pickens finished 0-for-4 to drop to his average below .400 on the season.

The Scrappers (5-6) loaded the bases after a leadoff single by Cortez Armstrong and a pair of walks to first-round draft pick Lonnie Chisenhall and Jeremy Tice.

In the sixth, Mahoning Valley had another golden opportunity after back-to-back singles by Chisenhall and Tice with just one out before a doubleplay grounder ended that threat.

“It’s hard for me to analyze and be nit-picking so early in my managerial career,” Fryman said. “We are young and making mistakes but we are also progressing very well.”

Fryman was especially pleased with the pitching of starter P.J Zocchi and the bullpen.

Zocchi was making his third start of the campaign and the right-hander from Clemson has looked better each time out.

Zocchi allowed just two runs in the fourth inning but that was enough for the Muckdogs to grab the win.

Batavia scored after Zocchi walked the first two hitters who then moved up on a deep sacrifice fly to center by Christian Rosa. Designated hitter Chris Swager then laced a double to drive in the only two runs Batavia would need.

Muckdogs’ starter Zacchery Pitts pitched the first four innings and allowed only one hit by Mahoning Valley bats but Arquidemes Nieto earned the win by pitching three innings.

Nieto gave up four hits but struck out for Mahoning Valley batters.

“Our pitchers battled tonight,” Fryman said. “Peter [Zocchi] was solid again for the third time out and our bullpen did a tremendous job.”

Fryman also noted Chisenhall, selected first by the Indians in this June’s draft, is progressing nicely despite his early struggles at the plate.

Chisenhall entered the game hitting just .139 but he was 1-for-2 with a walk and was hit by a pitch.

“Numbers-wise Lonnie might be struggling a little bit,” Fryman said. “He’s been making much better contact recently. His at-bats have been pretty good.

“I don’t think anyone here is the least bit discouraged about what they are seeing out of him, in fact were even more encouraged by some of the things we’ve seen from him.”

The Scrappers conclude the series with Batavia tonight at 7:05 and then take on the Auburn Doubledays Sunday at 6 pm.

———

BATAVIASCRAPPERS

abrhbiabrhbi

Riportella cf5010Blair rf3000

Sedbrook ss4020Valdes cf4000

Curtis 3b5020Chisenhall ss2010

Peterson 1b2100Tice 3b3020

Edwards rf3100Pickens c4000

Rosa c4000Webb lf4000

Swauger dh4022Velasquez 2b4110

Garcia 2b4010Alcmbrck 1b4011

Gomez lf4010Armstrong dh2010

Totals35292Totals30161

Batavia000200000—0

Scrappers000010000—0

E—Chisenhall (2), Tice (4). DP—Batavia 1. LOB—Batavia 10, Scrappers 7. 2B—Swauger (2), Alcombrack (1). 3B—Velasquez (1). SB—Sedbrook (3). CS—Sedbrook (1). S—Blair.

IPHRERBBSO

Batavia

Pitts410012

Nieto W, 1-0341104

Brown2-310010

Reifer S, 21 1-300011

Scrappers

Zocchi L, 0-1552222

Rodrigues220000

Rieck220013

HBP—by Pitts (Chisenhall), by Zocchi (Peterson). Umpires—Home, Luke Hamilton; Bases, Chris Graham. T—2:38. A—2,907.

HOW THEY SCORED

Batavia 4th — Peterson walked. Edwards walked, Peterson to 2nd. Rosa flied out to left field, Peterson to 3rd, Edwards to 2nd. Swauger doubled to center field, Peterson and Edwards scored. Garcia flied out to right field. Gomez flied out to right field. 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB

Scrappers 5th — Pitching change: Nieto replaced Pitts. Webb struck out swinging. Velasquez tripled to left field. Alcombrack doubled to left field, Velasquez scored. Armstrong called out on strikes. Blair flied out to left field. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB