Scrappers drop Spikes, stay perfect

Scrappers vs. Spikes

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Highlights of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers against the State College Spikes at Eastwood Field, Monday, June 22, 2009. The Scrappers won, 7-6.

By Joe Scalzo

Mahoning Valley opened a 7-0 lead en route to a 7-6 win over State College.

NILES — After missing five weeks with a knee injury, Columbus Clippers outfielder Stephen Head came to the Scrappers for a rehab assignment this week hoping to regain his stroke and his health.

“I was hitting the ball well before I got hurt,” said Head, who injured his knee during spring training and re-injured it on May 1, prompting the team to shut him down. “When I was playing, I was probably around 65 percent and I was hoping it would get better.

“It never did.”

Head was at Eastwood Field for two six-inning stints. He went 1-for-3 with a single against the Jamestown Jammers last weekend, then went 0-for-2 in his first two at-bats Monday against State College.

Then, with one out in the fifth, he found his stroke, clobbering a ball into the right field bullpen to give the Scrappers a 5-0 lead.

“I wasn’t necessarily looking to hit a home run,” said Head, whose team improved to 4-0 with a 7-6 victory. “I just wanted to hit a ball with some backspin and try to get one out there in the gap.

“Fortunately for me, it went out.”

Head, who says he’s about 95 percent, will drive to Rochester, N.Y., this morning to rejoin the Clippers. He’ll be leaving behind a red-hot Scrappers team that opened a 7-0 lead through five innings.

Thanks to some sloppy defense — Mahoning Valley finished with five errors — the Spikes made things interesting, but closer Brian Grening managed to close things out with a scoreless ninth.

“I feel like I watched two different ballgames tonight,” Scrappers manager Travis Fryman said. “At least we won.

“It’s a little bit disappointing, but again, it’s a win. I’ve never seen an ugly win or an ugly hit.”

Starter Preston Guilmet went four scoreless innings, striking out five and walking two while surrendering two hits.

The Scrappers’ 18-inning scoreless streak was snapped in the sixth, when State College scored four runs.

Kyle Smith, Lurvin Basabe, Bo Greenwell and Kyle Bellows each had two hits for Mahoning Valley.

Warren Harding High graduate Justin Byler went 0-for-2 with a walk for State College. Byler was part of a scary moment in the top of the eighth, when he was hit in the head by Scrappers reliever Jose Urena. But after being checked out by the team trainer, Byler stayed in the game and eventually scored to make it 7-5.

The Spikes added another run later in the inning, but could get no closer.

“These guys have been playing in Arizona [for extended spring training] in 115 degrees and they may have three family members in the stands,” Head said of the Scrappers. “So for them, this is their big leagues right now.

“You see the way they’re playing, and they’re having a good time doing it.”

scalzo@vindy.com

SEE ALSO: Justin Byler chases his dream after injury.

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State CollegeScrappers

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Holt 2b5000Basabe 2b4220

Vasquez 3b5010Greenwell lf5121

Hernandez lf 3010Smit, J cf4011

Morgan ph1000Henry cf1010

Byler 1b2100Head rf4111

Irvine dh3100Palincsar rf0000

Rubenstein rf3220Allman dh3112

Sauko cf 3111Bellows 3b4120

Mendez c3122Vera 1b4110

Summerelin ss 4001Smith ss4022

Totals32674Totals337137

State College000000420—6

Scrappers31003000x—7

E—Saukko (1), Basabe 4 (4). DP—State College 1, Scrappers 2. LOB—State College 6, Scrappers 8. 2B—Mendez (1), Allman (3), Vera (1). 3B—Basabe (1). HR—Head (1).

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State College

McPherson L, 0-14 2-3106406

Foster3 1-331131

Scrappers

Guilmet420025

Fonesca W, 1-0334231

Urena H, 1122200

Grening S, 2100001

HBP—by Urena (Byler). Umpires—Home, Derek Mollica; First, Jose Esteras. T—2:47. A—2,696.