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Nice and tidy: Scrappers win final game, 3-0
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SLIDING IN: Scrappers baserunner Isaias Velasquez tries to break up the double play as Auburn's Bryan Kevin makes the throw to first Saturday night at Eastwood Field.
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CLOSE PLAY: Scrappers baserunner Lonnie Chisenhall (27) tries to beat the throw as Auburn's Michael McDade stretches for the out.
By Steve Ruman
Mahoning Valley finished with its second-worst record in franchise history at 31-44.
NILES — A long and at times frustrating season came to a quick and pleasant end Saturday for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
Playing in their final game of the 2008 season, the Scrappers (31-44) made quick work of the Auburn Doubledays in a 3-0 home win in front of 3,788 fans.
The contest took just one hour and 52 minutes to complete — the shortest Scrappers game of the season.
“That was a nice all-around performance, and a nice way for these guys to leave town,” Scrappers manager Travis Fryman said. “That was by far our best collective pitching performance of the year, it was our best start of the year, and it was great to see Cord [Phelps] end the season by breaking loose like we knew he could.”
Phelps, a third-round draft pick out of Stanford who joined the Scrappers in late July, belted a pair of home runs — his first two round-trippers of his professional career. The switch-hitter clobbered a first-inning homer to right field while batting from the left side of the plate. While batting right-handed in the seventh, he went deep over the left field wall.
“That was a great end to what was a fun summer,” Phelps said. “I’ve hit two home runs in a game before, but I’ve never done it from both sides of the plate. That was kind of special.”
The only other run of the contest came in the fifth inning when Brock Simpson doubled, advanced to third on a passed ball, then scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ryan Blair.
Phelps said that he will now return to Stanford to earn his degree in biology before rejoining the Indians’ organization next spring.
Phelps’ first-inning homer proved to be the only run the Scrappers would need, thanks to a sterling pitching performance turned in by starter Russell Young and four relievers who each pitched one inning.
Young (6-3) surrendered just one run and one hit while recording eight strikeouts in five innings of work. The lefty was 3-0 with an 0.50 ERA against the Doubledays.
“Russell was fantastic tonight. He’s been solid for the most part of the summer,” Fryman said. “He’s a Dartmouth graduate who is the most mature young man on this club.”
Fryman, who completed his rookie season as a minor league manager, said he plans to return to Eastwood Field next summer.
“No contracts have been signed, but the Indians asked me what I wanted to do, and it was my request to return here,” Fryman said. “This has been a learning experience not just for the players, but for myself as well. And this is definitely something I want to continue to do.”
The 31-44 finish for the Scrappers is the second-worst record in franchise history. In 2001, the Scrappers finished with a 26-49 record.
This also marks the first time in franchise history that the Scrappers have finished as low as fifth place.
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AUBURNSCRAPPERS
abrhbiabrhbi
Hopkins cf3010Velasqz 2b2000
Nicolas rf4000Fedroff cf3000
Van Kirk rf3000Phelps 2b3222
Amar dh3000Chisenhall ss3000
Rivera ph-dh1000Tice 3b3000
Del Campo 2b3010Simpson 1b3110
McDade 1b3000Blair rf2001
Soto 3b3000Alcombrack c3000
Kevin ss3000Hernandez lf3000
Turkamani c3010
Totals29030Totals25333
Auburn000000000—0
Scrappers10001010x—3
E—Turkamani (5). DP—Auburn 1, Scrappers 1. LOB—Auburn 4, Scrappers 8. 2B—Del Campo (14), Hopkins (2), Simpson (11). HR—Phelps 2 (2). SF—Blair. PB—Turkamani (5).
IPHRERBBSO
Auburn
Liebel L, 1-2211011
Crawford311000
Cryer100001
Huggins1 1-311101
Daly2-300000
Scrappers
Young W, 6-3510018
Langwell110010
Roberts100002
Ramirez110000
Morales S, 5100002
HBY—by Liebel (Velasquez). Umpires—Home, Chris Nguyen; Bases, Nick Mahrley. T—1:52. A—3,788.
HOW THEY SCORED
Scrappers 1st—Isaias Velasquez reached first after being hit by a pitch. Tim Fedroff grounded into a 1-6-3 double play, Velasquez was forced out at second. Cord Phelps hit a home run to right. Lonnie Chisenhall grounded out to shortstop. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB
Scrappers 5th—Jeremie Tice grounded out to third. Brock Simpson doubled to left. Simpson advanced to third on a passed ball. Ryan Blair flew out to left, Simpson scored. Robby Alcombrack popped out to shortstop. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB
Scrappers 7th—Phelps homered to left. Chisenhall grounded out to second. Tice flew out to center. Simpson popped out to first. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB