Scrappers tame Tigers

July 8, 2012 at 12:08a.m.

NILES

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers entered Saturday’s game against Connecticut on a roll, offensively. In nine days, the Scrappers had tacked 46 points onto their team batting average.

Meanwhile, the Tigers entered the contest with a dismal 5.07 team earned-run average, the highest in the New York-Penn League.

Both trends continued Saturday, and the result was the Scrappers’ 5-3 win at Eastwood Field.

The game, which lifted the Scrappers’ record to 11-9, was played in front of a season-low 1,814 fans.

Connecticut falls to 5-15.

Mahoning Valley wasted no time getting to Connecticut starter Edgar De La Rosa, who has been one of the few bright spots in the Tigers rotation. The right-hander entered the game with a 1.72 ERA through four starts.

In the bottom of the first inning, Scrappers left fielder Aaron Siliga ripped a one-out triple just inside the first-base line. Siliga scored when Joseph Wendle followed with a single to right.

Wendle’s .373 batting average is fifth-best in the league.

The Scrappers extended their lead to 3-0 in the second inning. Mark Bradley and Hunter Jones led off the frame with back-to-back singles. Both runners advanced on an Erik Gonzalez bunt, then scored on a Jairo Kelly base hit.

Connecticut tied the game in the top of the third on a Danny Vasquez three-run bomb to right-center field. Vasquez, who was 2-for-5, is batting .397.

The Vasquez blast was the one big mistake surrendered by Scrappers starter Josh Martin. The right-hander was the Indians’ 10th-round pick out of Samford in the June draft. He was making his first start of the season. He previously made three relief appearances.

“I started throughout my college career, so I just followed the rhythm I’m used to,” Martin said. “Early on, I had what you might call first-game starter jitters. I got into a routine where I was throwing too many first-pitch fast balls.”

Martin (2-1) rebounded following the home run to retire eight of the next nine batters he faced. He worked five innings, scattering five hits while picking up the win.

“After the home run, I just relaxed. I started mixing up my pitches better, and things worked out,” Martin said. “I felt good about the way I finished the night.”

The Scrappers regained the lead for good with a pair of runs in the fifth. Siliga opened the frame with a double. He came around to score on a Charlie Valerio base hit. Valerio later scored on one of the five errors committed by the Tigers.

Siliga was 3-for-5 with a single,double and triple.

“I felt really comfortable. We didn’t do early [batting practice] work today, and sometimes that’s like a day off and it gives you an opportunity to get re-energized,” Siliga said. “As a team, I thought we did some really good things offensively tonight.”

The Scrappers knocked out 11 hits. In addition to his three hits, Siliga scored a pair of runs.

SCRAPPERS 5, CONNECTICUT 3

ConnecticutScrappers

abrhbiabrhbi

Stewart cf4100Kelly ss5012

Travis 2b3000Siliga lf5230

Vasquez lf4123Wendle 2b4011

Aguas 1b4010Valerio c4111

Hanover dh4010Nilsson dh3010

Smith rf4000Romero pr-dh0000

Leonara 3b3000Bradley cf3130

Harrison3b4000Jones rf4110

Pickar c4020Gonzalex 1b4000

Dean ss3110Garcia 2b4000

Totals37373Totals366114

Connecticut003000000—3

Scrappers120020000—5

E—Pickar (3), De La Rosa (1), Harrison (6), Aguasvivas (4), Kelley (1), Wendle (2). Pickoff —De La Rosa (Bradley at first). LOB—Connecticut 5, Scrappers 11. 2B—Pickar (2), Siliga (3). 3B—Siliga (1) HR—Vasquez (1).

SB—Hanover (2), Valerio (2), Gonzalez (4). CS—Bradley (2).

IPHRERBBSO

Connecticut

De La Rosa (1-1)34 1-385425

Phillips1 2-300001

Sabol120000

Kelley100012

Scrappers

Martin W 2-1553203

Lee320003

Head S 2100001

WP—De La Rosa. Balk—Sabol, Kelley. HBP—by De la Rosa (Valerio). Umpires—Home, Ben Levin; Bases, Ryan Simmons;. T—2:41. A—1,814.