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Red-hot Scrappers cut down Williamsport
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Scrappers baserunner Paul Hendrix sprints to third base to leg out a triple during the bottom of the fourth inning of Monday’s game at Eastwood Field.
By Steve Ruman
NILES
Mahoning Valley Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak has been around the game long enough to know that the transition from college to professional baseball can often be a struggle.
“When the players first come here, they’re trying to get used to the early work, the traveling, the lifting, the every day grind,” Kubiak said. “We work them pretty hard every day because they need that to develop.
“The key is knowing how hard to push them, and knowing when to ease up. When we think it’s advantageous to back off, we do.”
Based on recent results, Kubiak’s troops are adapting well to his managerial methods.
The Scrappers on Monday won for the ninth time in 11 games, this time a 5-2 home victory over Williamsport in front of 2,185 fans.
While other teams in the New York-Penn League appear to be losing steam, the Scrappers (17-24) are gaining momentum.
“I think they’ve turned the corner,” Kubiak said. “They’re more acclimated to the game of baseball right now. I see other clubs losing their edge. They started out well, but they’re not the same team anymore.
“I pride myself in the fact that this group, they have the same energy, they’re still playing hard. A lot of guys on this team have shown improvement.”
Perhaps no one is showing as much consistent improvement as first baseman Nellie Rodriguez. The 19-year-old out of George Washington High School in New York City again proved to be the Scrappers’ offensive spark plug.
In the fourth inning, Rodriguez belted a towering two-run homer deep over the left field wall to give the Scrappers a 2-1 lead they would never relinquish. Rodriguez leads the team in batting average (.345), RBIs (28) and home runs (seven). His home run total is also tops in the New York-Penn League.
“I hit one high in the zone and over the plate, which isn’t my favorite spot,” Rodriguez said. “But I just stayed focused, and made good contact.”
Rodriguez, who was drafted out of high school in 2012, opened the season at Lake County. Some early season struggles brought him to the Mahoning Valley in late June.
“I feel really good right now,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve stayed focused and remained confident and it’s all paying off.”
Paul Hendrix followed Rodriguez’s blast with a triple, then scored on a home run to right off the bat of Robel Garcia.
Two innings later, Rodriguez struck again. This time, it was a single off the right field wall that scored Joel Mejia and gave the Scrappers a 5-1 lead.
Rodriguez went 3-for-4, and was one of six Scrappers with at least two hits. The Scrappers banged out 15 hits on the night.
“I’m more surprised by my consistent hitting than my home runs,” Rodriguez said. “I’m proud of the hitting average. I feel good about the number of hits I’m getting.”
The Crosscutters’ first run was unearned and it came in the fourth off Scrappers reliever Matt Whitehouse, Gustavo Martinez led off the frame with a single, and came around to score thanks to a pair of errors by the Scrappers defense.
Williamsport scored its other run in the ninth on a solo home run off the bat of Dylan Cozens.
Scrappers starter Dace Kime worked three scoreless innings, giving up just one hit while striking out four.
Whitehouse, Ben Heller and Manuel Carmona combined to work six innings, giving up two runs and just two hits. Scrappers pitching combined to record nine strikeouts
The Scrappers now embark on a six-game road trip which will take them to Aberdeen and Connecticut. They return home Aug. 6.