Sever hitless in Scrappers’ loss to Batavia

August 18, 2012 at 12:10a.m.

NILES

In 2005 Bobby Abreu, then a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, hit a record 24 long balls in the first round of the annual Home Run Derby.

He entered that All-Star break with 18 home runs before infamously sliding in the second half of the season, when he hit just six homers.

Mahoning Valley Scrappers All-Star Joe Sever doesn’t expect a collapse like that. The third baseman went 0-for-4 in Friday’s 3-2 loss to the Batavia Muckdogs. He’s just 2-for-13 in the last three games since he took part in Tuesday’s New York-Penn League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby at Eastwood Field.

“I’m not worried about it at all,” Sever said, debunking rumors that the derby messes with players’ swings. “We all know it’s an up-and-down game.

“The minor league hitting coordinator [Alan Zinter] has been down here and has helped me work on a few things. I’m taking the same swings that I’d take in BP with him. It’s a long process and it takes a while.”

Vladimir Guerrero and Prince Fielder, winners of the MLB Home Run Derby in 2007 and 2009, respectively, ended up hitting more dingers in the second half of the season of those years.

But power statistics aren’t Sever’s focus.

He is batting .276 and has only one home run on the season. He hit five in the derby.

“The biggest thing is just making contact,” Sever, who is sixth on the team with 45 total bases as the Scrappers’ main No. 5 hitter.

“I’d like to drive the ball more to the outfield on a line. It doesn’t necessarily need to go out.”

Aaron Siliga was Mahoning Valley’s main offensive source. His two-run triple in the sixth inning gave the Scrappers (26-20) a 2-1 lead.

The Muckdogs’ Jacob Wilson led off the top of the sixth with a solo home run, which ended Scrappers starter Jake Sisco’s run at a perfect game.

The Salida, Calif., native shut down Batavia and had two strikeouts in the first five innings. It took him just five pitches to get out of the first inning and entering the sixth, he had thrown just 48, including 36 strikes.

“My command was there,” Sisco said. “I was trying to locate my fastball and moving the ball in and out. I didn’t really show my secondary stuff very much.”

Sisco went seven innings, his longest outing of the year. He finished with two earned runs on four hits — just one appearance after surrendering six runs in three innings on Aug. 12.

His mother, step-father and best friend from high school were among the 3,362 in attendance.

Scrappers designated hitter Charlie Valerio didn’t hide his feelings for home-plate umpire Mike Wiseman.

Valerio, also an All-Star, was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts. Both came in his last two at-bats. He mouthed off after he went down looking in the seventh. He was rung up for the second out of the ninth and really let Wiseman have it.

Valerio was tossed after he threw off his helmet and pointed a finger in Wiseman’s face. He may have even bumped the umpire.

Valerio likely will be fined and suspended. He’ll definitely be reprimanded by his manager.

“I’m going to decide when he plays again,” said Scrappers skipper Ted Kubiak. “He’s got to learn a lesson from that.”

The Muckdogs (30-26) scored a run in the seventh inning. Matthew Young broke the tie with a solo homer in the eighth.

BATAVIA 3, SCRAPPERS 2

BataviaScrappers

abrhbiabrhbi

Ramos rf4000Siliga cf4022

Valera 2b4010Campbell lf3000

Wittels ss4000Frazar ph1000

Stnstra 1b4120Wendle 2b3000

Keener c4000Valerio dh4010

Apelian lf4010Sever 3b4000

Wilson 3b3112Stock c3000

DeLaCrz dh3000Romero rf3110

Young cf3111Gonzalez 1b2110

Garcia ss3000

Totals41363Totals30252

Batavia000001110—3

Scrappers000002000—2

E—Melling (1), Gonzalez (11). DP—Batavia 2. LOB—Batavia 4, Scrappers 3. 3B—Siliga (4). HR — Wilson (1), Young (2).

IPHRERBBSO

Batavia

Melling642103

Thomas W, 1-0 1 2-310004

Stoppelmn S, 41 1-300014

Scrappers

Sisco742202

Peoples L, 1-1221103

WP—Thomas, Peoples. HBP—Wendle (by Stoppelman). Umpires—Home, Mike Wisemann; Bases, Mike Provine. T—2:16. A—3,362.