Whitenack, Heller help Scrappers win

Staff report

NORWICH, CONN.

Rob Whitenack and Ben Heller made an early 4-0 lead stand up and Mahoning Valley won its fifth straight series with a 6-3 victory over Connecticut.

The win also guarantees a winning road trip, the second such trip in a row for the Scrappers (19-25).

Whitenack (3-4) threw six strong innings, allowing just two earned runs on four hits with no walks and five strikeouts. Heller notched his second save with three shutout innings including four strikeouts.

Juan Romero blasted his fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot in the second, to get the Mahoning Valley offense going. Nellie Rodriguez drove in a run in the third and a double-play grounder plated another to make it 4-0.

After Connecticut (19-26) closed to within one, the Scrappers answered by scoring on a throwing error in the seventh. Doubles by Josh McAdams and Sicnarf Loopstok scored the final run in the eighth.

McAdams extended his hitting streak to 15 games.

SCRAPPERS 6, TIGERS 3

ScrappersConnecticut

abrhbiabrhbi

Mejia rf5000Powell ss4122

Bautsta 2b3210Schotts cf4000

Roberts 3b5120Ficociello 2b4000

Rdrguez 1b5011Verlander rf4110

Hendrix ss3110Coffman dh4020

McAdms lf4110Leyland 1b3000

Romero dh3112Taladay c4010

Loopstok c4021Harrison 3b3000

Ferrell cf4010Gibson lf3100

Totals366 104Totals33362

Scrappers022000110—6

Connecticut000012000—3

E—Hendrix, Harrison, Taladay, LaMarche. DP—Connecticut 1. LOB—Scrappers 8, Connecticut 4. 2B—Bautista, McAdams, Loopstok. HR—Romero (4), Powell (1). SB—Romero, Bautista.

IPHRERBBSO

Scrappers

Whitenack W, 3-4643205

Heller S, 2320004

Connecticut

Phillips L, 2-151/374444

LaMarche12/301014

Beck231105

WP—Whitehouse, Heller. BK—Phillips. HBP—Leyland (by Heller). Umpires: Home, Dave Attridge; Bases, Nate Caldwell. T—2:51 (13-minute delay). A—1,580.