43
Scrappers’ Evan Frazar contributing
Photo
Evan Frazar of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers rounds second base on his way to third during a New York-Penn League game Wednesday against the Connecticut Tigers at Eastwood Field in Niles. Frazar, a 27th round draft pick by the Indians last month, played his first full game as a Scrapper, going 2 for 4 and scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead Mahoning Valley to a 2-1 win over the Tigers.
By Joe Scalzo
NILES
Scrappers third baseman Evan Frazar shined so bright on Wednesday night, he’ll no longer be called the lamp.
Frazar, a 27th round draft pick by the Indians last month, waited a few weeks to sign, then spent a few weeks on the disabled list (“All dumb stuff — a pitcher fell on me,” he said) before joining Mahoning Valley last week.
He played his first full game Wednesday against Connecticut, going 2 for 4, and scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Scrappers to a 2-1 win over the Tigers in a New York-Penn League game at Eastwood Field.
“At first I was just ‘lampada,’” Frazar said, chuckling. “All the Latins, they call guys on the DL ‘the lamp.’ At the end of the game, they said, ‘No mas lampada.’
“It’s funny because now I’ve actually started to do stuff.”
After getting his first professional hit in the third inning, Frazar led off the ninth with an opposite field single, moved to second on Cody Elliott’s bunt and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
“I thought Elliott did a good job getting the bunt down and I thought it was just an outstanding dirt ball read by Evan,” said Scrappers manager David Wallace.
With the infield pulled in, KC Serna slapped an opposite field single over the head of Tigers second baseman Javier Azcona, immediately raising both arms into the air before the ball dropped.
“This isn’t like college where you run the team; every single player is good,” said Frazar, a Houston native who played at Galveston College in Texas. “I know if I get on, everybody else can do their job.
“I’ll do my job and the guys behind me can do their job and we can win a game.”
Pitcher Jeanmar Gomez, who appeared in four games for the Indians this season, started and gave up one run on five hits in four innings. Gomez has pitched most of the season for the Columbus Clippers but was scratched from the Triple-A All-Star game because he is expected to take Mitch Talbot’s spot in Cleveland’s rotation on Sunday.
“I think it’s great for our guys to be able to see him throw,” said Wallace. “It’s not like he has the nastiest stuff, but he knows how to pitch and he goes out there and locates. He pays attention to the swings the hitters take and he has a game plan and he executes and that’s what we’re trying to teach these young kids.
“When they sit there and see it right in front of their eyes, and see the way he prepares for a start, it just reaffirms what we’re telling them.”
Joseph Colon (2-2) pitched the last five innings to get the win, holding the Tigers to just two hits while striking out four and walking one.
Elliott had two hits, Serna scored the other run and Jake Lowery singled and drove in a run for the Scrappers (15-11), who trail Jamestown by one game in the Pinckney Division standings.
Frazar entered Wednesday’s game with just five professional at-bats but he’s had no trouble adapting to playing defense at the Class A level. He played flawlessly at third, starting one double play and making a diving stop in the third to rob the Tigers of a sure hit.
“My first impression is he knows how to pick it,” said Wallace. “He’s a good, athletic player and he’s going to play all around the infield for us.
“It was nice to see him get some pitches to hit and put the barrel on the ball tonight. Now it’s just a matter of him getting his timing down.”
Brennan Smith started and gave up just one run in seven innings for Connecticut. Smith surrendered eight hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
Ryan Woolley (0-2) got the loss, giving up one run on three hits in 11/3 innings with a strikeout.