Batavia’s Espinoza homers in 10th to beat MV

Staff report

BATAVIA, N.Y.

Robert Espinoza’s first home run of the season came at an opportune time for the Batavia Muckdogs.

Espinoza clubbed a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Muckdogs rallied for a 6-3 victory over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in a New York-Penn League baseball game.

The Scrappers (16-28) scored led 3-1 entering the bottom of the ninth, but pitchers James Ehlert and Takafumi Nakamura couldn’t hold the advantage.

Giovanny Urshela had a pair of hits for the Scrappers, including his second home run of the season, a two-run shot in the sixth inning that gave Mahoning Valley a 3-1 lead.

That advantage held up until the ninth, when Ehlert came on and walked the first two batters he faced. Yunier Castillo followed with a RBI double for Batavia (26-17), then after an intentional walk, Nakamura was summoned with the bases loaded and induced Colin Walsh into a double play, which scored the tying run.