Batavia outslugs Scrappers

July 3, 2011 at 12:01a.m.

NILES

Chances are your parents have given you the “it’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game” rhetoric.

David Wallace thinks there is more to that than just lip service.

The first year manager of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, Wallace has the unenviable position of trying to find balance between wins and development. That’s why an 8-3 loss to the Batavia Muckdogs at Eastwood Field on Saturday didn’t have him pulling his hair out and red in the face.

“Our goal each and every day is to walk out of that clubhouse better than when we walked in,” Wallace said. “That includes our early work that we do, and that includes the game as well. So if we can walk out of that clubhouse knowing we got better than we were today, then I could care less about wins and losses.”

That laissez-faire attitude toward the standings is a luxury for Wallace. His Scrappers are, for the most part, winning.

The loss puts the Scrappers at 10-6, which is good for a first-place tie with the Jamestown Jammers in the New York-Penn League’s Pinckney Division. Still, the wins aren’t as important as, say, critical hits with runners in scoring position or smart baserunning.

“[The record] doesn’t even come into consideration. I’m very happy with the work ethic of this team,” he said. “We set that goal to get better each and every day, and I feel like we’ve accomplished that”

So Saturday’s game was more of a hiccup than indigestion. But still, it was hard to stomach for some.

Starter Joseph Colon had a rough outing early, but rebounded. Colon (0-2) allowed three runs in the first inning on four-consecutive hits. But the infielder-turned-pitcher settled down.

Colon finished with four earned runs on seven hits. He struck out three and walked a pair in 32/3 innings. He tossed 81 pitches — 42 in the first inning.

Wallace said he didn’t have to say anything to Colon, who also had a rough start on opening day, falling 9-3 to Jamestown. The pitcher, instead, picked himself up.

“I knew [Colon] was going to bow his neck, battle and give us everything he had, and he kept us in the game,” Wallace said. “And that’s what we ask our starters to do. He did that. I know he’s not excited about it, but he did his job as far as I’m concerned.”

And he’s learning.

Catcher Jake Lowery, who is hitting .314 on the year, said everyone can take something away from the game — and every game so far.

“It’s your job now, and it’s how you want to perform,” he said. “Obviously you’re not going to get the hits every single time, but going out there and trying your hardest every time is something you want to hang your hat on.

“You want to go out there and have a good performance no matter what the score is,” he added. “You just want to go out there and have good at bats and do the best you can.”

Scrappers shortstop Tony Wolters hit his first home run of the season against Batavia reliever Eric Binder in the sixth inning, and Lowery scored on Alex Lavisky’s ground rule double, but those would be the Scrappers’ last runs.