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Scrappers catcher active in pro debut
Photo
Mahoning Valley Scrappers catcher Jeremy Lucas (32) waits for Jamestown Jammers baserunner Anthony Gomez at the plate during Thursday’s New York-Penn League baseball game at Eastwood Field in Niles. Gomez was out, but the Jammers got the 6-2 win.
By Tom Williams
NILES
Years from now, when Scrappers catcher Jeremy Lucas regales his family with the tale of his professional baseball debut, he’s unlikely to focus on his team’s 6-2 loss to Jamestown Thursday at Eastwood Field.
He’s more likely to focus on several plays he participated in that kept the game from becoming a full-fledged rout.
“Jeremy threw two guys out,” Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak said. “He did a good job behind the plate for his first outing.”
Lucas also alertly saw Juancito Martinez trying to advance to second after a base hit in the fourth inning. The catcher took a throw from left fielder Hunter Jones then fired to second baseman Jose Ramirez to end the Jammers’ biggest inning at the plate.
“I knew we had no chance at the plate with the runner on third so I just tried to cut it off as quickly as I could and get it to second,” said Lucas, who played at Indiana State. “Luckily, I made a good throw.”
Lucas, who was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 12th round of this year’s Major League Baseball draft, also caught Cameron Flynn trying to steal third base on a double steal attempt in the third inning.
And in the second inning, he erased Anthony Gomez at the plate after a pickoff attempt at first base. The Jammers’ Yeison Hernandez drew the throw from Scrappers starter Ryan Merritt (0-1).
“Sometimes teams will bait a left hander to [try and] pick him off just so they can try and steal home,” Lucas said. “I think that’s what they were trying to do, trying to get him to get the high leg kick and then they go.”
First baseman Charlie Valerio fired a strike to Lucas who tagged Gomez to end the second inning.
“Luckily, Charlie got rid of it quickly and made a good throw,” said Lucas, who said he noticed Gomez charging “out of the corner of my eye right when he took off.
“So I was yelling as loud as I could.”
Asked if teams practice for that situation, Lucas said, “That’s not really a play you can practice. You don’t really ever expect that.
“But in baseball, you’ve got to expect anything, really — there’s some crazy stuff that can happen.”
Lucas went 0-for-4 at the plate.
“I had some jitters playing in my first pro game,” Lucas said. “I just tried to tell myself it’s just the game I’ve been playing since I was little.
“I played relaxed, I thought I did well for the first time out, but there are always things to get better at.
“I struggled at the plate, but I feel that a lot of people are going to go through that transitioning from college to pro. It will come around.”
Lucas wasn’t the only Scrapper struggling to get on base. Three Jammers pitchers limited Mahoning Valley to five hits, two of them coming in the ninth inning.
Ramirez, who doubled, singled, walked and scored a run, was told after the game that he was being called up to Lake County.
Kubiak called Merritt’s outing a learning experience.
“He throws strikes and keeps the ball around the plate, and he got hit,” Kubiak said.
Merritt gave up nine hits and four runs in the four innings he pitched.
JAMMERS 6, SCRAPPERS 2
JamestownScrappers
abrhbiabrhbi
Gomez 2b3122Ramirez 2b3120
Hrndez dh5120Siliga cf3000
Ross 1b5021Valerio 1b4000
Juengel 3b5011Nilsson dh4010
Nola ss4000Jones lf3110
Dice c5111Gonzalez 3b4000
Solorzano lf4120Romero rf4011
Flynn rf4120Lucas c4000
Martinez cf2111Kelly ss3000
Totals421101Totals40292
Jamestown110201100—6
Scrappers100000001—2
E—Juengel (1), Valerio 2 (2), Gonzalez (1). PB—Lucas (1). DP—Jammers 1, Scrappers 1. LOB—Jamestown 9, Scrappers 6. 2B—Rosa (1), Solorzano (1), Ramirez (2). HR—Dice (1). SB—Gomez (1), Ramirez (1). CS—Gomez (1), Flynn (1), Solorzano (1).
IPHRERBBSO
Jamestown
Newell211120
Esch W, 1-0410014
Donatello S, 1331102
Scrappers
Merritt L, 0-1494412
Homblert221100
Cody Penny1 2-321021
Encarnacion1 1-300011
WP—Newell. Umpires—Home, Jacob Dallas; Bases, Tim Haromada. T—2:36. A—3,660.