Victory worth the wait for Mahoning Valley

The Scrappers defeated Oneonta 10-8 after a short rain delay and a game featuring a lot of hits and errors.

By JOE SCALZO

Vindicator sports staff

NILES — Among the words you could use to describe Friday’s 10-8 victory by the Mahoning Valley Scrappers — lengthy, unpredictable, exciting, lengthy, unusual and lengthy — is this one: encouraging.

After getting swept by the Staten Island Yankees to begin the homestand, the Scrappers showed some grit on Friday night, scoring two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to break an 8-8 tie and beat the Oneonta Tigers at Eastwood Field.

The game started with a 10-minute rain delay, and over the next 3 hours and 32 minutes — the Scrappers’ longest nine-inning game of the season — the teams combined for 25 hits, four errors and 11 pitchers.

“It was a little lengthy, especially with the rain delay,” said third baseman Kyle Bellows. “In the locker room, we didn’t know if we were going to play tonight.

“But it cleared up and we got the win, so that felt good.”

Mahoning Valley had its first multi-homer game (and its first multi-homer inning at that), getting a solo homer from Juan Aponte and a two-run shot by Bellows as part of a five-run fifth inning.

“The homers are nice but we’re pretty much a small-ball team and that’s how we’re going to play the rest of the season,” said Bellows. “It just feels good to win.”

It was an especially good night for Bellows, who went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, scored twice and made several nice plays at third base.

As a fourth-round pick out of San Jose State, the California native is the highest draft pick on the roster but has struggled at times adjusting to the pro game in his first month. He’s batting just .242, but has a team-high two homers and a respectable on base percentage of .340.

“I’ve been learning a lot,” he said. “I’ve only been here for about a month. Every day is a challenge, every day is a grind. I’ve just been learning every day and getting better.”

He’s benefited from working with Scrappers manager Travis Fryman, a former major league third baseman with the Indians and Tigers.

“Travis has been helping me tremendously,” he said. “With him being a third baseman, he’s giving me pointers and tips every day.”

Mahoning Valley (17-11) didn’t always look good on Friday — the Scrappers led 8-3 after five innings, only to give up five runs over the next three innings — but after struggling against Staten Island, it was a good enough.

“The first few games [against Staten Island], we didn’t play as well as we should have,” Bellows said. “But yesterday we played really well; we just didn’t come out on top.

“Today we put it together and got the win.”

Jordan Henry — who is quickly playing his way into a promotion — had another strong game, going 3-for-4 with a walk, two stolen bases and three runs scored. His batting average jumped to .354, which would put him first in the New York-Penn League if the league leaders stay the same after Friday’s games.

Greg Folgia added two hits, a run, an RBI and had two outfield assists from left field, while Rafael Vera had two hits, Ben Carlson had two hits and Kyle Smith scored two runs.

Cory Burns (2-0) pitched 11‚Ñ3 innings of scoreless relief to get the win.

Oneonta (16-9) used six pitchers, with none of them going more than 32‚Ñ3 innings. It also committed three errors, including two by shortstop Jim Gulliver in the eighth. Both resulted in Scrapper runs.

———

OneontaScrappers

abrhbiabrhbi

J.Johnson cf4001J.Henry cf4330

M.Rockett lf3220K.Smith ss3211

Bishop 1b5010K.Smit rf4100

A.Espinoza rf3011Bellows 3b4213

J.Murrian c4112Folgia lf4121

W.Gaynor 3b4100Carlson 1b4021

Roof dh4230Vera dh5021

C.Sedon pr-dh0000J.Aponte c4111

C.Jaime 2b5131Toole 2b4000

J.Gulliver ss4123

Totals368138Totals3610128

Oneonta000032120—8

Scrappers30005012x—10

E—J. Gulliver 3 (13), Toole (1). DP—Oneonta 1, Scrappers 3. LOB—Oneonta 10, Scrappers 9. 2B—C. Jaime (2), K. Smith (2). HR—Aponte (1), Bellows (2). SB—J. Murrian (2), J. Henry 2 (10), J. Smit (5).

IPHRERBBSO

Oneonta

Gerbe2-313310

Mendoza3 2-343301

M. Torrealba1-332101

C. Hamilton2 1-320024

Kapteyn L,0-12-322000

K. Faulk1-300010

Scrappers

B. Brach4 2-363313

Adams2-332221

Fonseca H,41 2-321110

Hubbard BS,12-312220

Burns W,2-01 1-310001

WP—Gerbe, Fonseca. HBP—K. Smith, J. Smit (by Gerbe); A. Espinoza (by B. Brach); M. Rockett (by Adams); A. Espinoza (by Hubbard). Umpires—Home, Garrett Cole; Bases, Robert Calvert. T—3:32 (0:14 delay). A—2,888.

HOW THEY SCORED

Scrappers 1st — Henry walks. Smith hit by pitch, Henry to 2nd. With Smit batting, Henry to 3rd, Smith to 2nd on wild pitch. Smit hit by pitch. Bellows grounds into fielder’s choice (5-4), Henry scores, Smith to 3rd, Smit out at 2nd, Bellows to 1st. Folgia grounds out (4-3), Smith scores, Bellows to 2nd. Carlson singles to left, Bellows scores. Pitching change: Mendoza replaces Gerbe. Vera singles to left, Carlson out at 3rd on throw (7-5). 3 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Tigers 5th — Roof singles to right. Jaime doubles to center, Roof to 3rd. Gulliver singles to left, Roof scores, Jaime scores. Gulliver out at 2nd (7-4). Johnson pops out (F-5). Rockett singles to left. Bishop singles to left, Rockett to 2nd. Pitching change: Adams replaces Brach. Espinoza singles to left, Rockett scores, Bishop to 2nd, Murrian strikes out swinging. 3 runs, 6 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Scrappers 5th — Aponte homers to left-center. Toole pops out (FF-3). Henry singles to center. With Smith batting, Henry steals 2nd. Smith doubles to left, Henry scores. Pitching change: Torrealba replaces Mendoza. Smit strikes out looking. Bellows homers to left, Smith scores. Folgia singles to center. Carlson reaches on fielding error (E-6), Folgia to 2nd. Vera singles to left, Folgia scores, Carlson to 2nd. Pitching change: Hamilton replaces Torrealba. Aponte strikes out swinging. 5 runs, 6 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.

Tigers 6th — Gaynor walks. Roof walks, Gaynor to 2nd. Jaime singles to center, Gaynor to 3rd, Roof to 2nd. Gulliver singles to center, Gaynor scores, Roof to 3rd, Jaime to 2nd. Johnson grounds out (4-1), Roof scores, Jaime to 3rd, Gulliver to 2nd. Rockett hit by pitch. Pitching change: Fonseca replaces Adams. Bishop lines into double play (6-4), Gulliver doubled off 2nd. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Tigers 7th — Espinoza flies out (F-8). Murrian walks. Gaynor pops out (F-4). Roof infield single, Murrian to 2nd. With Jaime batting, Murrian to 3rd, Roof to 2nd on wild pitch. Jaime singles to left, Murrian scores, Roof out at home (7-2). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Tigers 8th — Pitching change: Hubbard replaces Fonseca. Gulliver walks. Johnson flies out (F-8). Rockett walks, Gulliver to 2nd. Bishop flies out (F-9). Espinoza hit by pitch, Gulliver to 3rd, Rockett to 2nd. Murrian singles to right, Gulliver scores, Rockett scores, Espinoza to 3rd. Pitching change: Burns replaces Hubbard. With Gaynor batting, Murrian steals 2nd. Gaynor strikes out swinging. 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Scrappers 8th — Pitching change: Kapteyn replaces Hamilton. Toole flies out (F-8). Henry singles to left. With Smith batting, Henry steals 2nd. Smith grounds out (4-3), Henry to 3rd. Smit reaches on fielding error (E-6), Henry scores. With Bellows batting, Smit steals 2nd. Bellows reaches on fielding error (E-6), Smit scores. Folgia singles to right, Bellows to 3rd. Pitching change: Faulk replaces Kapteyn. Carlson walks, Folgia to 2nd. Vera grounds out (5-3). 2 runs, 2 hits, 2 errors, 3 LOB.

scalzo@vindy.com