Scrappers rally to win in 10

By Greg Gulas

NILES — Austin Armstrong’s wild pitch allowed Mahoning Valley’s Ben Carlson to stroll home with the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Scrappers defeated the Auburn Doubledays, 4-3, Sunday in New York-Penn League action at Eastwood Field.

The game, yet another come-from behind rally for Mahoning Valley in its last at bat, featured seven errors (four by the Scrappers; three consecutively in the eighth inning alone).

On the other hand, at one point, a combined 16 batters were retired consecutively (from the bottom of the fifth to the eighth innings).

Scrappers manager Travis Fryman was pleased with starting pitcher Brett Brach, who allowed just two runs (one earned) while scattering four hits in six innings of work. It was arguably his best outing this year.

“His [Brach’s] stamina wasn’t there early, but he got stronger as he continued to pitch,” Fryman said. “He’s a pitcher with a plan, someone who has gotten better as the season has progressed.

The Doubledays struck first when Sean Ochinko’s double scored Ryan Schimpf in their opening at-bat.

Lance Durham’s single in the top of the fourth scored Brad Glenn for a two-run Doubledays advantage. It was the last hit of the game for the Doubledays.

Mahoning Valley’s Casey Frawley plated Jason Smit in the bottom of the frame to cut the lead to 2-1.

The Doubledays added a run in the eighth without the benefit of a hit as three consecutive Scrappers errors (two by third baseman Rafael Vera and one by shortstop Kyle Smith) helped the Doubledays forge a 3-1 advantage.

“We’re struggling to score runs but our pitching has been excellent,” Fryman said. “It was a poor defensive game with seven errors between the two teams.

The Scrappers, 27-17, improved to 17-6 at home this season and matched last season’s home win total when they went 17-20 in 37 home contests.

“One defining characteristic of this team is that we find a way to put ourselves in position to win, especially late in the game,” Fryman said. “We’ve had quite a few one and two-run games this season.”

The Scrappers have scored just 15 runs in their past six contests, but sport a 5-1 mark during that span with three shutouts to their credit.

“Definitely sounds like pitching to me,” Fryman said.

Mahoning Valley added two runs in their half of the eighth inning to knot the game at 3-all.

In the 10th inning, Jeremy Johnson (2-1), the winner in relief, set Auburn down with an inning-ending double play, setting the stage for Carlson.

After Carlson walked, Casey Frawley failed with his sacrifice bunt and Vera flied out.

Light-hitting Tim Palincsar, who entered the game hitting .189, kept the inning alive by singling to right to move Carlson to third base.

With catcher Chun Chen at the plate, Armstrong picked the wrong time to unleash his first wild pitch of the season which enabled Carlson to score the winning run.

“I knew that he [Armstrong] was wild and had a hard time finding the plate, so I was just looking to get on any way that I could,” Carlson said. “Tim [Palincsar] then came up with the big hit and that is what set the stage for us.

“I was going on contact regardless. With two outs, I knew that Chun [Chen] needed to make contact, but was also ready just in case of a wild pitch or passed ball,” Carlson said.

The Scrappers won for the third consecutive time while Auburn fell to 16-28 overall, dropping their third straight outing.

Today at 7:05 p.m. at Eastwood Field, the Scrappers will play the Doubledays in the final game of their two-game set.

AuburnScrappers

abrhbiabrhbi

Goins ss5000Henry cf3110

Schrimpf 2b4100Smith ss5010

Ochinko dh4121Folgia lf3110

Brisker dh0000Smit dh5121

Ramirez rf4010Carlson 1b4100

Gomes c5000Frawley 2b5011

Glenn lf3100Vera 3b5000

Hopkins lf0000Palincsar rf4010

Durham 1b4011Aponte c2000

Gilligan 3b2000

Eiland cf4000

Totals35342Totals37472

Auburn1001001000—3

Scrappers0010000201—4

E—Durham (7), Gilligan (2), Schrimpf (2), Carlson (3), Vera 2 (9), Smith (5). DP—Auburn 1, Scrappers 2. LOB—Auburn 8, Scrappers 11. 2B—Ochinko 2 (12). PB—Gomes (4).

IPHRERBBSO

Auburn

Wright521037

Morgal H, 12 1-322111

Beck BS, 32-310001

Armstrong L, 2-31 2-321010

Scrappers

Brach642113

Kirk1 2-301004

Johnson W, 2-12 1-300023

WP—Wright, IBB—Ramirez (by Johnson). HBP—Folgia (by Armstrong), Gilligan (by Brach), Gilligan (by Johnson). Umpires—Home, Kiff Kinkade; Bases, Matt Jones. T—3:01. A—2,250.

HOW THEY SCORED

Auburn, 1st — Ryan Goins strikes out. Ryan Schimpf reaches on fielding error by first baseman Ben Carlson. Sean Ochinko doubles to center field Jordan Henry, Schimpf scores. Welinton Ramirez singles to right field, Ochinko to 3rd. Yan Gomes grounds into double play, pitcher Brett Brach to shortstop Kyle Smith to Carlson. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.

Auburn, 4th — Gomes flies out to center fielder Henry. Bradley Glenn walks. With Lance Durham batting, Glenn steals 2nd base. Lance Durham singles to center field Henry, Glenn scores. Kyle Gilligan pops out to Carlson in foul territory. Eric Eiland grounds out, third baseman Rafael Vera to Carlson. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Scrappers, 4th — Gregory Folgia flies out to center field. Jason Smit singles past third base. Carlson reaches on force attempt, throwing error by first baseman Durham, Smit to 3rd, Carlson to 2nd. Casey Frawley grounds out, second baseman Ryan Schimpf to Durham, Jason Smit scores, Carlson to 3rd. Vera called out on strikes. 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.

Auburn, 8th — Goins strikes out. Schimpf grounds out, second baseman Frawley to Carlson. Ochinko reaches on throwing error by Vera. Ramirez reaches on fielding error by Vera, Ochinko to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Jeremy Johnson replaces Nick Kirk. Gomes reaches on fielding error by Smith, Ochinko scores, Ramirez to 3rd. Glenn strikes out. 1 run, 0 hits, 3 errors, 2 LOB.

Scrappers, 8th — Henry walks. Smith flies out to center field. Folgia singles to right field, Henry to 3rd. Smit singles past shortstop Ryan Goins, Henry scores, Folgia to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Casey Beck replaces Matthew Morgal. Carlson strikes out. Frawley singles past second baseman Schimpf, Folgia to 3rd, Smit to 2nd. ‚â Vera reaches on fielding error by third baseman Kyle Gilligan, Folgia scores,Smit to 3rd,Frawley to 2nd. Palincsar grounds out, Gilligan to Durham. 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.

Scrappers, 10th — Carlson walks. Frawley pops out to Gilligan. Vera flies out to left fielder Chris Hopkins. Palincsar singles to right field, Carlson to 3rd. With Chun-Hsiu Chen batting, passed ball by Gomes, Carlson scores. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.