43
Kaimi Mead: Answering the Scrappers' call
Photo
Scrapper Kaimi Mead throws a pitch during the second inning of the teams opening game at Eastwood Field on Friday night. Geoffrey Hauschild
Photo
6.19.2009 David Schwartz, 10 of Howland, plays monkey in the middle on a patch of grass alongside the outfield on the first base line during the Scrappers first game of the season at Eastwood Field on Friday evening. Geoffrey Hauschild
- Mahoning Valley Scrappers 2009
Mead’s strong start lifts Scrappers
By CHUCK HOUSTEAU
VIndicator sports correspondent
NILES — Mahoning Valley Scrapper pitcher Kaimi Mead got a late notice that he would start the team’s New York-Penn League season opener Friday night against the Jamestown Jammers.
The Hawaiian native pitched five strong innings as the Scrappers turned back the Jammers 6-5 before 4,118 at Eastwood Field.
“You’re always a little nervous for the first game,” said Mead, one of three returning Scrappers from last year. “I got over it, got through it and I was ready to go.”
Mead got word Thursday that he would start the opener after scheduled starter Mary Popham came down with an illness.
You would have never guessed Mead had any first-game jitters.
Mead retired the first 10 batters he faced before giving up a homer with one out in the fourth inning. By then the Scrappers had a comfortable 5-0 lead.
“That [lead] was huge,” Mead said. It allowed me to get comfortable and pitch with a lead and just pitch my game.”
Mahoning Valley manager Travis Fryman said he was pleased with Mead and the entire team’s effort.
“Kaimi Mead through the ball very well,” said Fryman who begins his second season as manager of the Scrappers. “I expect that from Kaime. I think Kaimi is a very good pitcher. He has a year under his belt. He was here last year and I think that maturity showed a little bit.”
Last season, Mead was 5-8 with a 5.52 ERA in 15 starts.
Fryman said he couldn’t find much fault with the Scrappers opening night.
“Absolutely pleased,” Fryman said. “The effort level was tremendous. The baserunning was good. Defense was very good and a good pitching performance by Kaimi Mead.”
The Scrappers opened the game by scoring two runs in the first inning and three more in the second.
Bo Greenwell, son of former major leaguer Mike Greenwell, started the rally with a single and moved to second on an error committed by the shortstop on a ball hit by Jason Smit.
Designated hitter John Allman then crushed a double that scored both runners for the early lead.
In the second inning, Kyle Smith reached on a single and Roberto Perez reached on an error. Smith scored on a wild pitch before Greenwell brought home Perez with an infield single.
Smit added another run with an RBI single that scored Greenwell.
Jamestown reached Mead in the fourth with a home run by Ernesto Marzanillo. The Jammers got another run on a walk, a wild pitch that allowed the baserunner to move up two bases and an RBI groundout.
Leading 6-3 heading into the ninth, reliever Brian Grening gave up two runs on a home run and a run-scoring double before leaving the tying run stranded on third by striking out the final two Jamestown batters.
Fryman said getting off to the lead was instrumental in getting the opening victory.
“When you can get on the board first, I forget what the percentages are, but the percentages say you are going to win a ballgame,” said Fryman. “So good start.
“You don’t know what to expect when you get new players but I know that this group that we brought up from extended spring training was playing very well down there so I expect them to perform well tonight.”
---
JamestownScrappers
abrhbiabrhbi
Stonecipher lf4000Basabe 2b4000
Manzanillo 2b4111Greenwell lf4221
Austin 3b3321Smit, J cf4221
Cregar rf4111Carlson 1b3000Taylor 1b4011Allman dh4033
Smith, R cf4011Palincsar rf4000
Moore dh4000Smith, K ss3120
Ceballos c3010Vera 3b4000
Torres ss3000Perez, R c4100
Totals33575Totals34695
Jamestown000200102—5
Scrappers23000001x—6
E—Torres (1), Austin (1). LOB—Jamestown 2, Scrappers 6. 2B—Allman 2 (2), Taylor (1). HR—Manzanillo (1), Austin (1). SB—Austin (1), Greenwell (1). CS—Smith (1).
IPHRERBBSO
Jamestown
Peterson L, 0-11 2-355105
Caminero2 1-300004
Benjamin320003
Crawford121122
Scrappers
Mead W, 1-0512212
Fonseca221101
Grening S, 1242204
WP—Petersen, Mead. Balk—Peterson. Umpires—Home, Marcus Petillo; First, Jose Esteras. T—2:30. A—4,118.