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Scrappers rebound with shutout
Mahoning Valley returned home for a 4-0 win over Williamsport and first place.
Photo
Scrapper Ben Carlson (11) collides into Williamsport Crosscutters catcher Sebastian Valle (9) during the 6th inning at Eastwood Field, Saturday, July 25, 2009.
By John Kovach
NILES — Strong overall pitching, a multi-bat offensive attack and errorless defense enabled the Mahoning Valley Scrappers to blank the Williamsport Crosscutters, 4-0, Saturday night at Eastwood Field.
With the win before 2,610 fans, the Scrappers climbed into first place ahead of Williamsport in the Pinckney Division of the New-York Penn League.
Starting pitcher Marty Popham pitched a three-hitter with nine strikeouts and one walk over six innings.
Kyle Bellows had a double, single and one RBI to spearhead a 10-hit attack.
The Scrappers scored two runs in the third and fifth innings to bounce back from Friday’s doubleheader loss at the State College Spikes.
Mahoning Valley (21-15) and the Crosscutters (20-16) will return to Eastwood Field today for a 5:05 p.m. game before the Scrappers embark on a four-game road trip.
They will be at Batavia, N.Y., on Monday at 7:05 p.m. and Tuesday morning at 11:05. The Scrappers will then travel to Auburn, N.Y., for games Wednesday and Thursday at 7:05 p.m. before returning home to face Batavia on Friday at 7:05.
The Scrappers are 2-4 in their last six games and 5-6 in last 11 games.
Saturday’s game was Susan G. Komen Cancer Awareness Night, and the Scrappers’ players wore pink jerseys in honor of Komen and the organization supporting breast cancer research. The Scrappers’ pink jerseys were presented by Boardman Medical Supply.
“We got a much-needed lift after a dismal day yesterday,” Scrappers manager Travis Fryman said. “Marty [Popham] picked us up. He threw the ball well.
“[First reliever] Austin [Adams] also threw the ball a little better.”
Adams and second reliever Cory Burns stepped in to protect Popham’s performance, each pitching two innings of shutout ball.
Kyle Smith, Jason Smit and Ben Carlson each had run-scoring singles while Jordan Henry contributed two singles to also pace the Scrappers.
“Ever since [Popham] had that bad outing at State College he has been pitching better with a better focus,” said Fryman. “He worked ahead of the batters. And it helps that he was striking out the first batter. He had a better breaking ball. He’s a strong kid but he ran out of gas [after six innings].”
Fryman said his two relievers came through.
“[Cory] Burns has been great all year. He was our closer although we really don’t use a closer,” said Fryman.
“Austin [Adams] has had his ups and down but he was a little better tonight and maybe it will be the start of something.”
But Fryman said the team could have scored more runs.
“We were swinging the bats,” he said. “We still didn’t execute well on offense. We left two or three runners on base. But they helped us out with four errors.”
The Scrappers had a big rally going in the third inning and scored two runs on RBI singles by Smith and Smit with no outs. But with the bases loaded, the rally fizzled when Williamsport starter Matt Way regrouped to retired the Scrappers 1-2-3.
Way (2-2) gave up nine hits and all four runs over five innings.
The Crosscutters, held hitless the first three innings by Popham, responded in the top of the fourth with a rally of their own, as Michael Dabbs and Leandeo Castro smacked back-to-back singles, the first two hits off Popham.
But Popham braced to retire the next three batters, including fanning Zach Collier for the final out to end the threat. It was Popham’s seventh strikeout.
The Scrappers also started a rally in the fourth inning when Rafael Vera reached base on a error and Henry slapped a single and turned it to two bases on an error. But with only one out, Way bore down to get the next two betters to keep the score at 2-0.
Chun Chen opened the the Scrappers’ fifth inning with a long double over the centefielder’s head. Bellows followed with a deep blast into the left-center field up against the fence for a double to score Chen for a 3-0 lead.
Greg Folgia drilled another long shot to center but the centerfielder caught the ball, although Bellows advanced to third.
Carlson drilled a single to center to score Bellows for a 4-0 lead.
Carlson went to second on a fielder’s choice and then Casey Frawley hit a single but Carslon was out at the plate to end the uprising.
Williamsport got a rally going in the seventh inning with one out when Anthony Hewitt and Stephen Batts singled, but Adams bore down and retired the side to preserve a 4-0 lead.
Korey Noles replaced Way in the sixth inning and Eric Massngham replaced Noles in the seventh, and they both pitched shutout ball.
Castro had two singles for Williamsport.
kovach@vindy.com
WilliamsportScrappers
abrhbiabrhbi
Dabbs rf4010Henry cf4120
Castro cf4020Smith ss4011
Barnes dh4000Smit rf4011
Valle c4010Chen c3110
Collier lf4000Bellows 3b4121
Hewitt 3b4010Folgia lf4000
Batts 1b4010Carlson dh4011
Buschini 2b3010Vera 1b4010
Porter ss2000Frawley 2b4110
Totals33070Totals354104
Williamsport000000000—0
Scrappers002020000—4
E—Porter (3), Hewitt (2), Collier (1). DP—Scrappers 1. LOB—Williamsport 10, Scrappers 7. 2B—Smit (7)m Chen (8), Bellows (3).
IPHRERBBSO
Williamsport
Way W, 2-2594323
Noles100000
Massingham210003
Scrappers
Popham W, 3-1530019
Adams230001
Burns210003
Umpires—Home, Ben Lindquist; Bases, Jose Rivera. T—2:36. A—2,610.
HOW THEY SCORED
Scrappers 3rd — Casey Frawley reaches on fielding error by shortstop Evan Porter. Jordan Henry singles on a bunt ground ball to third baseman Anthony Hewitt. Frawley advances to third, on throwing error by Hewitt. Kyle Smith singles to left field, Frawley scores, Henry to second. Jason Smit doubles to left field, Henry scores, Smith to third.
Chun-Hsiu Chen walks. Kyle Bellows flies out to left fielder Zachary Collier. Gregory Folgia strikes out.
Ben Carlson flies out to right fielder Micheal Dabbs. 2 runs, 2 hits, 2 errors, 3 LOB.
Scrappers 5th — Chen doubles to center field. Bellows doubles to center field, Chen scores.
Folgia flies out to center fielder Leandro Castro. Bellows to third. Carlson singles to center field, Bellows scores. Rafael Vera grounds out to third. Carlson to second. Frawley singles to right field, Carlson out at home on throw by right fielder Micheal Dabbs to catcher Sebastian Valle. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.