Undefeated mark vanishes as Scrappers lose to Spikes

Mahoning Valley had several opportunities to score but couldn’t take advantage as its winning streak stopped at five games.

By John Kovach

Vindicator sports staff

NILES —The streak has ended.

Now, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers hope to regroup to start another one.

The Scrappers’ undefeated streak was snapped at five games Wednesday night, as the State College Spikes managed to eke out a 2-1 victory before 2,066 fans at Eastwood Field in a pitching and defensive struggle.

The Spikes (2-4) scored single runs in the second and third innings while the Scrappers (5-1) managed their only run in the fourth, as they had trouble getting a rally against four State College pitchers and the Spikes’ strong defense, spearheaded in part by first baseman Justin Byler of Howland.

Both team had eight hits, but the Scrappers go them at the wrong times in the New York-Penn League Pinckney Division game.

“Four times we had runners on third base with less than two outs and were unable to score. We had no execution. To me that was the difference,” said Scrappers manager Travis Fryman. “We had no timely hitting with runners on base and that hurt us.”

Fryman also credited the Spikes’ defense, including Byler, who is in his fourth year with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm team, although he was shelved last season with a broken forearm.

“[Byler] made a couple of nice plays,” he said. “There were some nice plays made between [the pitchers and Byler]. I thought the pitcher and Byler played well [on defense].”

Byler’s key defensive play came in the final inning when he scooped a throw out of the dirt to complete a double play and the final out to douse the Scrappers’ rally and last chance to score, after Kyle Smith had singled with one out.

The Scrappers will embark on a six-game road trip beginning tonight in Williamsport. They play three straight night games with the Crosscutters, followed by three more night contests at State College starting on Sunday, before returning home for a three-game series against the Crosscutters beginning July 1.

Byler, who went 0-for-4 and is batting only .143, made up for his lack of offense with at least two outstanding plays and solid overall defense.

“I put a lot of work in on my defensive side [but] I haven’t been hitting well, although I felt that I hit the ball well tonight,” said Byler, who played three years for Howland High and his final season for Warren Harding as a catcher all four years, before signing with the Pirates in 2006 and becoming an outfielder his first season.

Then he was switched to first base his second year and has remained at that position.

“My defense has been good but now I’m trying to develop my swing. It has been a work in progress,” said Byler. The Spikes scored first in the second inning when Pat Irvine’s infield single with the bases loaded forced in David Rubenstein who had singled to start the rally. Craig Parry followed Rubenstein with a single and Jose Hernandez walked to load the bases.

The Spikes scored again in the third inning with what turned out to be the game-winner when Andy Sanchez doubled, Byler walked and Rubenstein singled to load the bases, Sanchez then coming in on Parry’s sacrifice fly.

The Scrappers finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning with one run to cut the lead to 2-1.

Kyle Bellows opened the fourth with a double, John Allman singled Bellows to third and Jason Smit singled home Bellows. But after Greg Folgia bunted Bellows and Allman to third and second, respectively, starting and winning pitcher Tyler Cox bore down and fanned Smith and Rafael Vera to douse the rally.

Cox (1-1) pitched the first five innings and struck out five and walked one. Other relievers were Brandon Holden and Diego Moreno while Alan Knotts pitched the ninth to get the save.

Starting pitcher Ryan Anthony (0-1) took the loss for the Scrappers. He pitched three innings and gave up five hits. He was relieved by Kaimi Mead in the fourth. He also pitched three innings and gave up only one hit with five strikeouts.

Rubenstein, Parry and Irvine each had two singles for State College.

Allman had a double and single while Smit and Jordan Henry added two singles each to pace the Scrappers.

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State CollegeScrappers

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Holt 2b5010Henry cf3020

Vasquez ss5000Greenwell lf4000

Sanchez c4110Bellows 3b3110

Byler 1b4000Allman dh4020

Rubinstein rf5120Smit 1b4021

Parry dh3021Folgia rf3010

Hernandez lf1000Smith ss4010

Garcia ph-lf1000Vera 2b4000

Irvine 3b3021Childs c1000

Saukko cf3000Basabe ph1000

Totals34282Totals31191

State College011000000—2

Scrappers000100000—1

E—Bellows (2). PB—Chen (2). DP—State College 1, Scrappers 3. LOB—State College 12, Scrappers 7. 2B—Sanchez (1), Allman (4), Bellows (1). SB—Hernandez (1).

IPHRERBBSO

State College

Cox W, 1-1671115

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Moreno210002

Knotts S, 1110001

Scrappers

Anthony L, 0-1352222

Mead310035

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WP—Mead. HBP—by Cox (Childs), by Jo (Mead). Umpires—Home, Derek Mollica; First, Jose Esteras. T—2:58. A—2,066.

kovach@vindy.com