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Scrappers continue flawless kickoff
Photo
Scrappers' Tim Palincsar makes contact during the bottom of the 8th inning at Eastwood.
Mahoning Valley sweeps Jamestown
By GREG GULAS
Vindicator Correspondent
NILES — Three games do not a season make, but if his Mahoning Valley Scrappers keep playing near-flawless baseball like in their season-opening series against Jamestown, then manager Travis Fryman will be one happy skipper this summer.
Ryan Bellows’ sacrifice fly with no outs in the bottom of the ninth plated Lurvin Basabe with the game’s only run as the Scrappers defeated the Jammers, 1-0, for a sweep of their Pinckney Division foes in New York-Penn League action Sunday at Eastwood Field.
“It was a curve ball and all I was trying to do was get it to the outfield, hoping to drive it deep enough in order to score Lurvin [Basabe],” Bellows said. “Coach said to be aggressive; get the pitch I wanted and then drive it. That is exactly what I did.
“It feels great to start the season winning three straight, building our confidence little by little each and every game,” Bellows said. “We have new guys but we’re fundamentally sound and that is really important as you get into the heart of the season.”
Fryman started Brett Brach and the rookie from Monmouth University didn’t disappoint as he went the first four innings, giving up two hits, walking just one while striking out three.
Tyler Sturdevant was equally as impressive in the three innings that he worked, allowing three hits while striking out three.
It was Corey Burnes from the University of Arizona, however, an eighth-round pick earlier this month in the Annual MLB Free Agent Draft, who picked up his first professional mound win.
“Brett [Brach] threw the ball really well and each pitcher today threw plenty of strikes,” Fryman said. “With each game this weekend, we looked a little more relaxed and that was good to see.”
Brach and Jamestown starter Sandy Rosario almost matched numbers with Rosario, allowing three hits while striking out two Scrappers batters in his four innings of work.
Matt Vieira and Rodolfo Encarnacion combined to pitch four shutout innings for the Jammers, allowing just three hits while working out of bases-loaded jams in the sixth and seventh innings.
In all, the Scrappers left 12 runners on the bags in the first eight innings while the Jammers could not get seven of their runners home during the same stretch.
After Burnes retired the Jammers in order, striking out two in their half of the ninth inning, the Scrappers’ offense went to work.
Held at bay for the first eight frames after outscoring Jamestown, 18-7 in the first two games, Basabe led off the Mahoning Valley half of the ninth with a single to right field.
A Bo Greenwell single to right, his second hit of the game, then sent Basabe to third base, setting the stage for Bellows’ game-winning sacrifice fly.
Greenwell, who has started the season 7-for-14, was pleased with the outcome and happy to have played a key role in the win.
“My job as the number-two hitter is to find the ball that I want, and then drive it. Such was the case tonight,” Greenwell said. “Both teams came out a little flat and then it became a pitcher’s game. It’s really special to win, 1-0 on Father’s Day.
“And to start the season with a three-game sweep is awesome,” Greenwell said. “I’m still waiting to wake up from the dream.”
JamestownScrappers
abrhbiabrhbi
Moore rf4010Basabe 2b4110
Smith cf4000Greenwell lf5020
Austin 3b4000Bellows 3b2001
Cregar dh4020Smit 1b2010
Jensen lf3010Carlson dh4020
Orton 1b3000Allman cf4020
Brady 2b2000Palimcsar rf4000
Manzanillo 2b1010Vera ss4000
Ceballos c3010Perez c4000
Totals31060Totals33181
Jamestown000000000—0
Scrappers000000001—1
E—Manzanillo (1), Vera (1). DP—Jamestown 0, Scrappers 2. LOB—Jamestown 6, Scrappers 13. 2B— Greenwell (2).
IPHRERBBSO
Jamestown
Rosario400022
Vieira230001
Encarnacion200010
Fernandez (L, 0-1)1-321100
Scrappers
Brach420013
Sturdevant300013
Burns (W, 1-0)210002
HBP—by Cook (Basabe). Umpires—Home, Jose Esteras; First, Derek Mollica. T—2:33. A—3,354.