Ninth-inning errors cost Scrappers a home victory

Scrappers pitcher Jordan Cooper fires to first base after fielding a bunt during Sunday’s game at Eastwood Field.

Scrappers batter Tyler Cannon takes an inside pitch as Williamsport catcher Jeff Lanning holds the ball for the umpire’s call during Sunday’s game at Eastwood Field in Niles.
NOTES FROM EASTWOOD FIELD
That’s a wrap: The Lowell Spinners made history Saturday, setting the world record for most people popping Bubble Wrap simultaneously during the third inning of their as part of the celebration of 50 years of Bubble Wrap. As they entered the park, fans received a one-square-foot sheet of Bubble Wrap with instructions to not pop it until the middle of the third inning. “We’re sure it was very difficult for many fans to resist the urge to pop the Bubble Wrap immediately upon receipt,” said Spinners vice president of communications Jon Goode in a story on MiLB.com. “I heard sporadic popping during the first few innings, but I believe most fans wanted to be a part of history.” In the middle of the third, the Spinners’ promotional team took the field and led a countdown as fans popped for 30 seconds. Players, staff and media members alike joined in the process as history was made to the sounds of popping. Following the popping, fans were asked to pass their used sheet to the end of the row where they were collected by staff to be counted. The Spinners came to a final tally of 3,692 popped sheets.
Brooklyn bright spot: Although the Scrappers were swept by the Brooklyn Cyclones earlier this week, outfielder Jordan Casas said it was an enjoyable road trip. “It was awesome,” Casas said. “My buddy [Rylan Sandovar] is a shortstop on the team and he’s one of my best friends. And we got to see the city and play in front of a large crowd. There must have been 10,000 people there. It’s a really nice stadium.” Brooklyn leads the New York-Penn League in attendance at just more than 7,000 fans per game. Casas grew up in Monterey, Calif., which is a 15-minute drive from Pebble Beach. When told it wasn’t a bad place to grow up, he smiled and said “I can’t complain.”
Well-armed: Scrappers pitcher Alex Kaminsky is ninth in the New York-Penn League with a 2.37 ERA. Kaminsky (3-1) has struck out 24 in 301/3 innings. The Fostoria native signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Wright State.
Vindicator staff report
Ninth-inning errors cost Scrappers a home victory
By JOE SCALZO
NILES
On Sunday, for the second straight night, Scrappers outfielder Carlos Moncrief stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning with the chance to be a hero.
And for the second straight night, he blistered a pitch into the right-field bullpen to give Mahoning Valley the lead.
On Saturday, the lead held up.
On Sunday, the Scrappers coughed it up.
Mahoning Valley first baseman Chase Burnette committed back-to-back errors in the top of the ninth inning, allowing Williamsport to rally for a 4-3 victory at Eastwood Field.
“Our club will not ever win a game when we make four errors,” Scrappers manager Travis Fryman said. “We don’t score enough runs to give the teams extra outs.”
Burnette’s miscues came during an otherwise solid game in an otherwise solid season for the 14th-round pick, who splits time between left field (his regular position) and first base (his new one).
Burnette had two of the Scrappers’ four hits, walked once and made a couple nice plays at first.
But with one out in the ninth and the Scrappers leading 2-1, he misplayed a ground ball, then missed a catch on a routine groundout on the following play.
The Crosscutters took advantage, with James Klocke tripling in both runners and Cameron Rupp hitting a two-out single to make it 4-2.
“Nobody feels worse than the guy who does something like that,” Fryman said of Burnette. “But I told him, ‘Hey, you play long enough, you’ll do everything you can do in this game. The good, the bad and the ugly.’”
Moncrief actually had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth. After Kevin Rucker’s sacrifice fly made it 4-3, Moncrief came up with two out and two on. But he grounded out to short to end the game.
After spending his first two years in the minors as a pitcher, Moncrief is hitting just .200 this season but Fryman has seen progress.
“He’s hit the ball better than his average has indicated,” said Fryman, who added that Moncrief hit the ball well in the previous series against Brooklyn. “He’s just made slow, steady progress for us all year.
“The quality of his outfield play has been improving, the quality of his baserunning has been improving, the quality of his at-bats has been improving.
“It’s actually fairly common, at least in my observations over the years, that once you get a feel for what it’s supposed to feel like when you do it right, it’s a lot easier to duplicate it.”
Moncrief agreed, admitting he spent Saturday night thinking about the home run swing.
“Because I know hitting a home run is always the perfect swing,” he said. “The next day, I make sure I get back into my humble mode and relax again. I don’t want to get too big the next day.”
Still, for someone who hasn’t hit in two years, it’s good to have weekends like this one, Moncrief said.
“It really lets you know where you are,” he said. “I know I can hit. I’m thinking about my past because I know I could hit in the past.
“But the thing is, showing other people I can hit, too. I’m working hard. Now I’m getting close to being back in the groove.”