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Catching a break
Photo
Scrappers shortstop Jairo Kelly sets himself for a throw while third baseman Joe Wendle watches during their 7-3 victory over State College.
This time, the worst case scenario that hit the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in Tuesday’s eighth inning didn’t stop them.
A quick look at the final score of 7-3 and it would be easy to assume it was a laugher all the way for the Scrappers. But their bullpen made sure it wasn’t.
Starting pitcher Ryan Merritt turned in his best performance of the season through the first seven innings before handing the ball, and a 3-1 lead, over to James Stokes.
Stokes walked the first two batters he faced and another reached base on a fielder’s choice as the season-long struggles continued for the Scrappers bullpen.
If it wasn’t for an interference call on Walker Gourley as he slid into second base, the Spikes would’ve tied it at three.
But base umpire James Pattison issued the call, ruled Barrett Barnes out at first and ordered Tyler Gaffney and Jordaneli Carvajal, who both originally scored, back to third and second, respectively. Then, he ejected State College manager Dave Turgeon for arguing.
“I was worried and confused there,” third baseman Joe Wendle said. “I didn’t know the exact ruling. That’s what we have umpires for.”
So, with two outs, Mahoning Valley (15-14) seemed to get out of a costly jam. But that was before D.J. Crumlich drove in Gaffney and Carvajal with a game-tying single making previous play’s confusion all for naught.
“Short term and long term, they ended up scoring, but that’s what fueled our comeback,” Wendle said.
The Scrappers rattled off four runs in the bottom half of the inning led by a two-run single from Aaron Siliga and an RBI knock from Wendle.
“We had big hits in big situations,” Wendle said. “When you can stay focused on a hot day and come out on top, that’s a great thing. Not trying to do too much makes that happen.”
The first run in the eighth came when Jairo Kelly simply wanted to lay down a sacrifice bunt to advance Robel Garcia to second. But a throwing error by pitcher Jordan Cooper allowed him to do one better. Garcia came around to score and Kelly slid safely into third.
“What you saw is what happens with young guys late in the game,” Mahoning Valley manager Ted Kubiak said. “In tight situations, they get nervous, they get upset, the get confused. They’re learning through it.
“These guys have played hard all year. Unfortunately we have lost some leads late but they still fight. That’s part of what they’re doing. They don’t give up.”
Merritt turned in a four-hit, one run and five strikeout performance in his seventh start of the year.
“I was keeping up with my command,” Merritt said. “Everything was working well. After a game like that, you have a big confidence boost for the next game.”
The Scrappers scored a run in the first and plated another one in the fifth with Charlie Valerio’s fourth home run of the year.
The Spikes’ first run was also by way of a solo shot. Barnes delivered a line drive over the left field fence for his fourth of the year, too.
Relief pitcher Jacob Lee earned his third win of the season, but also was charged with his first blown save. In the Scrapper’s recent six-game road swing, two of the four losses came by way of the bullpen blowing a lead.
“The ‘pen has been hurting,” Kubiak said. “It’s tough to piece together things towards the end of the game. All we want is for them to throw strikes and keep the ball down. That’s half the battle.”
The Scrappers and Spikes (14-15) remain at Eastwood Field to cap off a two-game series tonight.
For the Spikes, 17-year old Mexican sensation Luis Heredia is taking the hill. He signed a $2.6 million free agent deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2010. In his first full-season of professional ball, Heredia, a 6-foot-6 205-pound righty is 1-1 in five starts with a 1.13 earned run average.
SCRAPPERS 7, STATE COLLEGE 3
State CollegeScrappers
abrhbiabrhbi
Carvajal 2b4100Kelly ss4220
Gourley lf5010Naquin cf2211
Barnes cf3111Wendle 3b4122
Crumlich 3b4022Sever dh4000
Stallings c3000Valerio c4121
Diaz ss4010Lucas c0000
Gonzalez 1b4000Siliga lf4012
Barrios dh4010Gonzalez 1b4000
Gaffney rf2100Romero rf3000 Garcia 2b3110
Totals33363Totals32796
State College000001020—3
Scrappers10001104x—7
E—Gonzalez (1), Cooper (1), Kelly (6), Wendle (4). DP —State College 1, Scrappers 2. LOB—State College 8, Scrappers 3. 2B—Wendle (8). HR—Barnes (4), Valerio (3). SB—Crumlich (3), Siliga (5), Wendle (3).
IPHRERBBSO
State College
Rodriguez532100
De Leon221112
Cooper L 1-22-334301
Ennis1-310000
Scrappers
Merritt 741115
Stokes H 22-302220
Lee BS 1 W 3-01-320010
Penny100000
HBP—Gaffney (by Penny), Naquin (by Cooper). Umpires—Home, Jorge Teran; Bases, James Pattison. T—2:28. A—3,500.