Scrappers get 3-0 win despite 2 hits

By Greg Gulas

NILES — Mahoning Valley manager Travis Fryman will take timely hitting over a grouping of hits any day.

Hoping to salvage the final game of their three-game home stand against Williamsport while looking for a win on getaway day, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers needed just two safeties after suffering consecutive one-run losses as they defeated the Crosscutters, 3-0 in New York-Penn League action Friday at Eastwood Field.

“Timely hits are certainly better than a plethora of hits, that‘s for sure. We’ll take timely hits any day,” Fryman said.

Marty Popham drew the starting assignment, scattered just three hits and struck out a career-high six Williamsport batters en-route to his first win of the season.

He impressed both Fryman and staff after failing to decision in his first outings this season.

“Marty [Popham] was focused from the very first pitch that he threw and that is exactly what we want of him.

“He didn’t have a stellar outing against State College the last time that he pitched, but tonight he was very impressive. This was a very good outing for him,” Fryman added.

Scoreless through the first four and half innings of play, Mahoning Valley’s John Allman led off the Scrappers’ half of the fifth with a walk and when Kyle Bellows followed with a double to center field, Mahoning Valley took the early 1-0 lead.

With two outs in the inning and Bellows on third, Tim Palincsar singled up the middle to then give Mahoning Valley a 2-0 advantage.

“This is the first time in a long time that we clicked and thank goodness it was today. It’s always great to get a win before you hit the road, especially against a team that is as good as Williamsport.

“It’s even better that we were able to salvage the final game of the series,” Bellows stated.

Fryman likes what he sees in Bellows.

“We definitely like what we see in Ryan [Bellows]. He made a great impression with the staff tonight.

“He has plenty of talent and is a good looking young player for us,” Fryman said.

Bellows, whose double in the fifth inning accounted for one of the two Scrappers hits on the night, then led off the Mahoning Valley seventh by advancing to second on a throwing error by Crosscutters third baseman Anthony Hewitt.

After Ben Carlson flied out to Hewitt, consecutive walks to Kyle Smith and Palincsar then loaded the bases with Bellows scoring the final run of the game on a Dwight Childs fielder’s choice.

Guido Fonseca worked two innings in relief, striking out two Williamsport batters while allowing just one hit for his second Hold of the campaign while Cory Burns worked a scoreless ninth inning, striking out two Crosscutters batters for his second save of the season.

The Scrappers (9-6) will now head to Jamestown (5-10), a 12-0 loser Friday to the Batavia Muckdogs for a three-game series with the Jammers.

Game time today is 7:05 p.m.

———

WilliamsportScrappers

abrhbiabrhbi

James cf4010Basabe 2b4000

L. Castro lf4000Folgia lf4000

J. Barnes dh4000J. Smit cf2000

Batts 1b4000Allman 1b2100

Buschini 2b3000Bellows 3b3211

Hewitt 3b3010Carlson dh3000

Dabbs rf3000K. Smith ss2000

E. Porter ss3020Palincsar rf2011

Doss c3000D. Childs c3001

Totals31040Totals25323

Williamsport000000000—0

Scrappers00002010x—3

E—Hewitt (8), Basabe (11). DP—Williamsport 1, Scrappers 1. LOB—Williamsport 4. Scrappers 5. 2B—James (2), Bellows (2). CS—Allman (1).

IPHRERBBSO

Williamsport

Zeid L, 0-24 2-322223

Simon2 1-301021

Grieve100010

Scrappers

Popham W, 1-0630006

Fonseca H, 2210002

Burns S, 2100002

WP—Simon, Grieve. HBP—by J. Smit (Simon), by J. Smit (Grieve). Umpires—Home, Joe Muenzer; Bases, Chris Nguyen. T—2:23. A—3,954.

HOW THEY SCORED

Scrappers 5th — John Allman walked. Bellows doubled to center, scoring Allman. Carlson grounded out (6-3). Smith grounded out (4-3). Palincsar singled to center, scoring Bellows. Pitching change: Simon replaced Zeid. Childs flied out (F-9). 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Scrappers 7th — Bellows reaches second on throwing error (E-5). Carlson popped out (F-5f). Smith walked. Palincsar walked, Bellows to 3rd, Smith to 2nd. Childs grounded into a force out (6-4), scoring Bellows, Smith to 3rd, Palincsar out at 2nd. Basabe popped out to (F-2f). 1 run, 0 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.