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SCRAPPY WALK-OFF
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Scrappers Joe Sever, center, waits for a throw as Jammers Yeison Hernandez tries to steal second base. Hernandez was out on the play. Robel Garcia, left, had the game-winning hit for Mahoning Valley in the 2-1 win.
By Tom Williams
NILES
After squandering five scoring opportunities with runners in scoring position, Robel Garcia delivered in the clutch for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Garcia knocked the eighth pitch of his at-bat against Jamestown reliever Miguel Fermin into the right-center field gap to bring home Erik Gonzalez with the winning run in Sunday’s 2-1 victory at Eastwood Field.
“It’s awesome,” designated hitter Joe Sever said. “We haven’t shown much in those situations, For Robey to get that big hit in the ninth inning and send us home and [not strain] the bullpen is great. Walking off is great for the team.”
After managing just two hits in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Jammers, the Scrappers (17-17) bats came to life in the extreme heat. But the Scrappers stranded nine baserunners, putting some extra responsibility on their four pitchers.
Starter Luis DeJesus worked the first five innings, allowing four hits and the Jammers’ one run.
“I felt like I had my legs under me,” said DeJesus (3-0). “It was hot so I [did] a lot with my legs because I felt kind of drained.
After Robbie Aviles and Scott Peoples each threw a shutout inning, Rafael Homblert (1-0) took over in the eighth inning to earn his first decision.
“Good pitching, good defense, timely hitting — works every time,” Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak said as he brushed past the media on his way to the team parking lot.
The Jammers (16-18) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning but the damage could have been much worse. Matt Juengel led off with a base hit and took second when DeJesus walked Viosergy Rosa. A wild pitch advanced the runners.
Jose Behar then grounded to third baseman Joe Wendle who threw him out at first while Juengel scored. Evan Frazar alertly saw Rosa trying for third base and threw a strike to shortstop Garcia who applied the tag,
“That was a relief,” DeJesus said. “That’s where the team comes in and they had my back.”
DeJesus was especially appreciative that Garcia was paying attention.
“I think I was supposed to be covering the bag,” said DeJesus, who admitted, “I was on the mound watching the play.”
The Scrappers tied the game in the third inning when Tyler Naquin hit the ball over center fielder Juancito Martinez, who originally misjudged the ball by running in. Despite the deep hit, Kubiak stopped Naquin at second base. A wild pitch advanced him to third base and he scored on Sever’s two-out opposite field single.
“I thought we battled all day so it was great to get the win,” said Sever whose three hits included a second-inning double. “We showed a little bit [of fortitude].”
The Scrappers stranded runners in scoring position in the second, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
In the sixth inning, Charlie Valerio tripled with two outs, but the inning ended on a Frazar strikeout.
An inning later, leadoff batter Mitch Nilsson led off with a single, but pinch-runner Gonzalez was stuck on third when Aaron Siliga popped out.