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Scrappers get speedy
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Scrappers third basemen #39 Jordan Smith jumps infront of short stop #1 Tony Wolters to make a play on the ball.
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Scrappers short stop #1 Tony Wolters makes a play on a ball before his thro to first.
Myles creates havoc on bases
By Joe Scalzo
niles
Bryson Myles has seen “Major League” countless times on baseball bus trips, so when the Mahoning Valley Scrappers held Major League Tribute Night on Tuesday, Myles was ready to channel his inner Willie Mays Hayes.
The speedy leadoff hitter went 2-for-4 with a triple, a bunt single, an RBI, two stolen bases and two runs to help the Scrappers sweep the State College Spikes with a 6-4 win at Eastwood Field.
“Coach Manzo has been working me every single day, just trying to make sure I have great at-bats every single day,” Myles said, referring to hitting coach Tony Mansolino. “I love it here. There’s a lot of great people here, great coaches, great teammates and it’s all a learning process.
“I feel like I’m doing a good job of learning everything and hopefully toward the end of the summer I start figuring it out and hopefully end up moving out of here.”
Myles, a sixth-round draft pick by the Indians out of Stephen F. Austin, led the nation in stolen bases this spring with 53, but easily could have gone pro in another sport. The Texas native was primarily a football player growing up and had a scholarship to play linebacker at TCU.
Problem was, Myles wasn’t ready to give up baseball and expected to get drafted out of high school. When the Horned Frogs’ coaches failed to convince him to focus on football, they pulled his scholarship and Myles ended up playing two years of junior college baseball at Weatherford College.
“A couple years down the road and here I am in Niles, Ohio,” he said.
Myles stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 230 pounds, making him the heaviest player on the Scrappers’ roster by 15 pounds. The right fielder is also the fastest — he has five stolen bases in 10 games — which gives you an indication of his athleticism.
He had a green light to steal bases at will at Stephen F. Austin, so the Scrappers coaches’ biggest challenge has been slowing him down, rather than speeding him up.
“We want him to create havoc on the bases and that’s what he did tonight,” Mahoning Valley manager David Wallace said. “Within all that, he’s learning there are certain situations when you have to shut it down. Especially with some of the bats he has behind him, we want to give them the opportunity to drive him in.
“But, yeah, he’s a threat out there and we’re going to utilize it.”
He’s not the only threat. Aaron Siliga and Todd Hankins also stole bases Tuesday night while shortstop Tony Wolters tripled and four players doubled. Wolters and Alex Lavisky each had two hits and an RBI for Mahoning Valley (9-3), which has won five straight.
Catcher Jake Lowery had the game’s biggest hit, shaking off an 0-for-3 start to double home Wolters in the seventh and break a 4-4 tie. Lavisky then followed with an RBI single to provide the winning margin.
Harold Guerrero started and gave up two runs in five innings. Cody Allen (2-0) gave up two runs in two innings of relief but got the win anyway, while Will Krasne and Enosil Tejeda each threw a scoreless inning.