Grand finale: Folgia’s home run helps rally Scrappers past Tigers

M.V. Scrappers VS Oneonta Tigers

Gallery

Mahoning Valley won 8-6 to sweep the three-game series at Eastwood Field and remain in first place in the NYPL’s Pinckney Division.

By GREG GULAS

VINDICATOR Sports correspondent

NILES — Greg Folgia’s walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth helped lift the Scrappers to an 8-6, come-from-behind victory over the Oneonta Tigers in New York-Penn League action Sunday at Eastwood Field.

“I was looking for a fastball, hoping that he [reliever Jose Ortega] wouldn’t throw his wicked slider and that is exactly what he threw me,” Folgia said. “We won and that is all that counts. It was a great win, especially the way we had to come back but to sweep Oneonta, an excellent team and the leaders in the Stedler Division, made it all the more special.”

Folgia finished five RBIs.

“I never had [five] RBIs in college so I will have time to digest what just transpired. This will make our bus ride to Aberdeen a little more comfortable,” Folgia said.

A 40th round draft pick this past June out of the University of Missouri, Folgia has impressed the Indians’ brass, especially manager Travis Fryman.

“To tell you the truth, I am glad that it was him [Folgia]. You gotta love the kid. He’s extremely intense, works hard and is always ready to play,” Fryman said.

The Scrappers (19-11), who lead the Pinckney Division by two games over Williamsport (17-13), swept their third three-game series at home. They already defeated Williamsport in the opening series of the season and the Auburn Doubledays earlier this month.

They outscored Oneonta (16-11) 21-16 in the three-game set.

Fryman, however, felt for starting pitcher Marty Popham.

“He [Popham] threw the ball well, was sharp and stayed focused. There were a couple of close pitches and we didn’t get the call, but the umpires were consistent and that is all you can ask for,” he said. “We made a couple of defensive mistakes and they had a couple of clutch hits on their part.

“It was an interesting game to say the least; not one that I like to watch but the outcome was a good one for us.”

The Tigers outhit the Scrappers, 12-4, but Mahoning Valley made the most of their four safeties, using just one, a double by Folgia in the third inning, to forge a 3-0 lead heading to the fifth inning.

Folgia was the only Scrappers player to face all four Oneonta pitchers and as it turned out, the one player who was the first to face all three Tigers relievers.

“I don’t think it was because they feared me,” Folgia said with a smile.

Oneonta plated four runs in their half of the fifth inning, the big blow a three-run triple by Christopher Sedon as it took a 4-3 advantage.

The Tigers took a 6-4 lead in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Michael Rockett and a run-scoring single by team home run leader, Rawley Bishop.

The lead would be short lived, however, as the Tigers’ relievers could not hold the Scrappers bats at bay.

Trailing by two runs in their final at-bat, designated hitter Jason Smit walked to start the ninth inning, moving to third base on a Chun Chen double.

Rafael Vera — a third inning replacement at third base for Kyle Bellows — who was tossed for arguing balls and strikes, then walked to load the bases and when Ben Carlson walked, Smit scored to cut the Tigers’ lead to 6-4.

That then set the stage for Folgia’s first professional home run, a walk-off one at that off of reliever Jose Ortega.

Jose Urena (2-0) picked up the win for Mahoning Valley while Kenny Faulk (0-1) absorbed the loss for Oneonta.

The Scrappers will now embark on a five-game road trip, heading first to Aberdeen for a three-game set beginning today.

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OneontaScrappers

abrhbiabrhbi

Johnson cf4011Henry cf2100

Rockett lf4021Smith ss4100

Bishop 1b5011Smit3201

Espinoza rf4020Chen5110

Roof dh5000Bellows 3b1000

Hernandez c4120Vera2111

Palacios 3b4110Carlson 1b1101

Jaime ss4200Folgia lf4125

Sedon 2b4213Palincsar rf3000

Basabe 2b2000

Toole 2b1000

Totals386106Totals28848

Oneonta000040200—6

Scrappers102000005—8

None out when winning run scored.

E—Perinar (1), Sedon (2), Smith (5), Chen (2), Basabe (15), Vera (5). DP—Oneonta 3, Scrappers 0. LOB—Oneonta 8, Scrappers 11. 2B—Rockett (5), Hernandez (4), Folgia (5), Chen (5). 3B—Sedon (1). HR—Folgia (1). CS—Espinoza (3).

IPHRERBBSO

Oneonta

Perinar2 2-303262

Hess420033

Faulk L, 0-11 1-314440

Ortega011100

Scrappers

Popham564006

Kirk1 2-322011

Johnson1-310000

Urena W, 2-0230002

WP—Perinar, Urena. HBP—by Perinar (Smith). Umpires—Home, Garrett Cole; Bases, Robert Calvert. T—2:58. A—4,342.

HOW THEY SCORED

Scrappers 1st — Henry walks. With Smith batting, Henry to 2nd on throwing error (E-1). Smith grounds out (6-3), Henry to 3rd. Smit grounds out (6-3), Henry scores. Chen grounds out (4-3). 1 run, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.

Scrappers 3rd — Smith hit by pitch. Smit walks, Smith to 2nd. Chen flies out (F-8), Smith to 3rd. Vera sacrifice fly (F-8), Smith scores. Carlson walks, Smit to 2nd. Pitching change: Hess replaces Perinar. Folgia doubles to right, Smit scores, Carlson to 3rd. Palincsar walks. Basabe lines out (L-4). 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 3 LOB.

Tigers 5th — Espinoza strikes out looking. Roof strikes out looking. Hernandez singles to right. Palacios singles to short, Hernandez to 2nd. Jaime reaches on throwing error (E-4), Hernandez to 3rd, Palacios to 2nd. Sedon triples to right, Hernandez scores, Palacios scores, Jaime scores. Johnson singles to right, Sedon scores. Rockett hits ground-rule double to right, Johnson to 3rd. Bishop strikes out swinging. 4 runs, 5 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.

Tigers 7th — Jaime strikes out swinging, advances to 1st on throwing error (E-2). Sedon reaches on fielding error (E-4), Jaime to 2nd. Johnson sacrifice bunt (2-4), Jaime to 3rd, Sedon to 2nd. Rockett sacrifice fly (F-8), Jaime scores. Bishop singles to left, Sedon scores, Bishop to 2nd on throw. Pitching change: Johnson replaces Kirk. Espinoza singles to third. Roof lines out (L-5). 2 runs, 2 hits, 2 errors, 2 LOB.

Scrappers 9th — Smit walks. Chen doubles to left, Smit to 3rd. Vera walks. Carlson walks, Smith scores, Chen to 3rd, Vera to 2nd. Pitching change: Ortega replaces Faulk. Folgia homers to right, Chen scores, Vera scores, Carlson scores. 5 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.